US President Donald Trump on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi “knew he was not happy” with India’s Russian oil imports, signalling further potential trade pressure from Washington. Speaking aboard Air Force One en route from Florida to Washington DC, Trump said India had tried to keep the US “happy” amid ongoing discussions on oil trade.
“They wanted to make me happy, basically. Modi is a very good man; he is a good guy. He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly. It would be very bad for them,” Trump said.
His remarks followed US Senator Lindsey Graham’s comments that tariffs imposed by the Trump administration were a key factor in India’s reduced Russian oil imports. Graham had earlier cited a bill proposing 500% levies on countries continuing to buy Russian oil and said the US is pressuring Moscow’s buyers to curb revenues for Russia amid the Ukraine conflict.
The US had already imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods linked to Russian oil. Trump added that during a recent visit to the Indian Ambassador’s residence, officials expressed concerns over the impact of these tariffs.
The US President’s latest warning comes just weeks after a phone call with PM Modi, in which both leaders stressed the importance of sustaining momentum in bilateral trade amid ongoing tariff disputes.
The conversation coincided with the start of a new round of negotiations between the two countries aimed at resolving the tariff deadlock.
Just days earlier, Trump had threatened additional tariffs on Indian rice following complaints from a farmer representative at a White House roundtable about alleged dumping by India, China, and Thailand.
India became the largest buyer of discounted Russian seaborne crude after the 2022 Ukraine war. While imports have fallen from a June peak of around 2 million barrels per day (bpd) to about 1.2 million bpd in December, India has resisted full US pressure, citing energy security and strategic interests.
Though other major economies have struck trade deals with Washington to reduce tariff burdens, negotiations between India and the US have so far failed, largely over India’s refusal to open its markets to US farm products and concerns about US mediation during brief Indo-Pak tensions. Trump later doubled the tariff rates on Indian goods in August 2025.
Despite tariff threats, India continues to balance energy needs with diplomatic and trade ties. Negotiations with Washington on a broader trade deal remain ongoing, though Russian oil purchases continue to be a sticking point.
(With inputs from PTI)