Trump threatens to raise tariffs on India if it doesn't resolve 'Russian oil issue'

US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that the United States could raise tariffs on Indian goods if New Delhi fails to cooperate on what he described as the “Russian oil issue”. The remarks came during a public address by the American leader. Tensions between the US and India started to escalate after Washington announced a whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.

“We could raise tariffs on India if they don’t help on the Russian oil issue,” Trump was quoted as saying, linking the warning to ongoing trade negotiations between the two countries. The tensions over India’s energy relationship with Russia resurfaced months after Trump claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “assured” him India would halt purchases of Russian oil.

However, New Delhi rejected Trump’s claims. Meanwhile, Trump’s remarks also coincided with India adjusting its oil import reporting amid ongoing discussions with Washington. According to Reuters, on January 2, New Delhi instructed refiners to submit weekly disclosures of Russian and US oil purchases.

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— ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2026

At that time, the officials maintained that the move was designed to provide “timely and accurate data" that can be shared with the United States upon request.

Last year, Trump intensified his tariff measures, imposing a 25 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods along with an additional 25 per cent penalty for purchasing Russian oil, bringing total duties in some categories to 50 per cent. The move caused a significant strain in US-India relations.

All this is happening at a time when negotiations are underway between India and the United States to resolve the tariff issue and reach a trade deal. It has been a lengthy process since Washington has been seeking to curb high import duties on American agricultural products. New Delhi, however, remains firm on safeguarding its domestic farming and dairy industries.