Trump Frankly: "Modi Not Happy" India Starts to Put the Brakes on Russian Oil
US President Donald Trump revealed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reportedly "not too happy" with him. The reason: India feels burdened by high import tariffs from Washington. Trump made the remarks at a Republican Party meeting in Washington on Tuesday.
Trump said his personal relationship with Modi remains good, but the trade situation has been heating up. He also added that India's purchases of Russian oil have "reduced significantly," seemingly signaling that US pressure is beginning to impact India's energy policy.
These tensions stem from the massive tariffs Trump imposed in August: a 50% tariff on Indian exports to the US, described as the highest in Asia. The tariffs, according to Trump, are related to India's continued purchase of Russian oil following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
The problem is, despite several rounds of negotiations and repeated communications between the two leaders, a bilateral trade deal has yet to be reached. Trump has also sent mixed signals: on the one hand, opening the door to negotiations, on the other, threatening to raise tariffs more quickly and even hinting at the possibility of new tariffs on certain commodities like Indian rice.
The impact has been felt in India's labor-intensive export sectors—such as textiles, jewelry, and leather—which are said to have been hit hard. The Modi government responded by preparing an aid package of around US$5 billion to support exporters.
US-India relations have also become increasingly sensitive as Trump repeatedly claimed to have "helped" the India-Pakistan ceasefire during the four-day armed conflict in May, a claim India denies. In recent statements, Trump also addressed India's complaints about delays in the delivery of Apache helicopters—even claiming India had waited five years and ordered 68.
If these tensions continue, the market will be monitoring two things: whether India will truly reduce its dependence on Russian oil to ease US pressure, and whether trade negotiations will finally find a solution—or whether the tariff war will escalate.
Source: Newsmaker.id
