President Donald Trump warned Monday that India will face a “substantially” increased tariff on its exports to the United States over its continued purchases—and resale—of Russian oil, as the Trump administration intensifies its economic pressure campaign against nations doing business with Moscow.
“India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA.”
Trump’s announcement marks a sharp escalation in his effort to isolate Russia economically and cut off foreign revenue streams funding its military aggression in Ukraine. The move comes just days after Trump hit India with a 25% tariff as part of his “Liberation Day” economic reforms. It’s now clear that number could rise even higher.
The White House has not yet clarified the final rate of the impending increase, but the president previously floated the possibility of 100% secondary tariffs on any nation that continues to import Russian energy. India has been one of the largest buyers of Russian crude since the Ukraine war began in 2022, importing more than 1.1 million barrels per day—up from just 68,000 before the conflict.
Despite Trump’s warning, Indian officials have publicly indicated they have no plans to halt Russian oil purchases, a defiant stance that is likely to trigger a strong economic response from Washington.
In 2024 alone, India exported approximately $87 billion worth of goods to the U.S., including refined petroleum, diamonds, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. With Trump vowing to raise tariffs substantially, those sectors could soon face a major hit.
The tariff threat also reflects Trump’s broader frustration with global inaction toward Russia. The president has repeatedly warned that his administration will not tolerate governments undermining U.S. efforts to end the war. Last month, Trump shortened his own 50-day deadline for Russia to agree to a peace deal—giving Moscow only 10 to 12 days to stop the violence or face sweeping secondary sanctions.
“We thought we had that settled numerous times,” Trump said last week. “And then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city, like Kyiv, and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever. You have bodies lying all over the street. And I said, ‘That’s not the way to do it.’”
Trump’s increasingly hardline stance contrasts sharply with the Biden-era approach, which relied on diplomacy and half-measures. Under Trump, the pressure is now direct, personal, and costly. India’s refusal to cut ties with Russian oil markets may soon carry a price tag it wasn’t prepared to pay.
As the president prepares to ramp up enforcement of his tariff regime, all eyes will be on how New Delhi responds—and whether other nations reconsider their own financial entanglements with the Kremlin.
The post Trump Says He Will ‘Substantially’ Raise Tariff On India For Buying And Selling Russian Oil appeared first on Real News Now.
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