NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump said imposing tariffs on India for buying Russian oil is not an easy thing to do, and it “causes a rift with India.”
“Look, India was their biggest customer. I put a 50 per cent tariff on India because they're buying oil from Russia. That's not an easy thing to do. That's a big deal and it causes a rift with India,” Trump said in an interview with ‘Fox and Friends’ Friday, when asked what clamping down on Russian President Vladimir Putin entails.
"But I've already done it. I've done a lot,” Trump said.
“And remember this is a Europe problem much more than our problem,” Trump added.
In the interview, Trump also repeated his claim that he has solved seven conflicts so far in his second term as President.
“I solved seven wars. I did so many, including Pakistan and India, but big ones, some were unsolvable, Congo and Rwanda. I solved it. It was going on for 31 years, millions of people killed. I solve wars that was unsolvable,” he said.
Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics.
Trump had signalled a thaw in trade tensions between the two nations. Trump, earlier on Tuesday, had described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “dear friend” and expressed confidence that bilateral trade issues could soon be resolved.
“I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Responding within hours, PM Modi reaffirmed the strength of India-US ties and stressed the shared commitment to unlocking the “limitless potential” of the partnership.
In a post on X, Modi wrote, “I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership. Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people.”
Trump had imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods, doubling them to 50 per cent, including an additional 25 per cent duty tied to India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil.
India has called these measures “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.” It also defended its Russian oil imports as a matter of national interest and market strategy, despite US concerns.
(With inputs from Online Desk)