Amid rising tensions over energy trade and geopolitical alignments, U.S. President Donald Trump has clarified that he never explicitly stated a tariff percentage on countries doing business with Russia, including India. His clarification follows strong reactions from India over earlier threats of imposing penalties, particularly after Donald Trump accused New Delhi of being Russia’s largest energy buyer and announced a 25% tariff on Indian imports.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Donald Trump addressed questions surrounding his earlier statements, where he threatened to impose up to 100% tariffs on countries continuing energy imports from Russia. When pressed for clarity, he said, “I never said a percentage, but we’ll be doing quite a bit of that. We’ll see what happens over the next fairly short period of time.”
India had swiftly responded to the tariff imposition by pointing out the double standards in the U.S. approach. New Delhi cited ongoing U.S. trade with Russia—including critical imports such as uranium hexafluoride and fertilizers—as evidence that Washington was unfairly singling out India. Despite Donald Trump’s repeated criticism, he admitted he was unaware of India’s argument during the same press conference and promised to look into it.
Donald Trump’s Earlier Threats on Tariffs Spark Tensions
Tensions escalated last month when Donald Trump issued a warning that the U.S. would impose 100% tariffs on Russian goods and “secondary tariffs” on countries continuing energy trade with Moscow. He had issued a 50-day ultimatum, stating that if Russia did not agree to a peace deal with Ukraine, penalties would follow.
“We’re very, very unhappy with them. And we’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days. Tariffs at about 100 per cent, you’d call them secondary tariffs,” he said at the time.
Just days before the self-imposed August 1 deadline, Donald Trump followed through partially, announcing a 25% tariff on Indian imports. However, he stopped short of detailing what other penalties might be levied on New Delhi or other countries.
The move caused concern in India, which has significantly increased its energy imports from Russia since the start of the Ukraine war. Indian officials maintained that this shift was a necessity, not a strategic alignment, as traditional energy suppliers in the Middle East diverted their supplies to Europe due to the ongoing crisis.
India further emphasized that the U.S. itself had encouraged it to buy from Russia in the early days of the conflict to help stabilize global energy markets.
India-Russia Defence Talks Continue Despite Pressure
Even as U.S. pressure mounted, India remained steadfast in its commitment to deepening bilateral ties with Russia. In a recent meeting between Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar and Russian Deputy Defence Minister Colonel-General Alexander Fomin, both sides reaffirmed their intent to strengthen defence cooperation.
According to a statement from Russia’s Ministry of Defence, the talks focused on expanding strategic cooperation in the defence sector, highlighting the “particularly privileged strategic partnership” between the two nations. This came at a time when Western nations, led by the U.S., are increasingly attempting to isolate Russia diplomatically and economically.
India has consistently maintained a non-aligned stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, refusing to publicly condemn Moscow while simultaneously strengthening its trade and defence ties. This balanced approach has drawn criticism from the West but has remained a key part of India’s strategic autonomy.
Despite Trump’s public criticism, internal U.S. officials are continuing diplomatic efforts in the region. Special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Russia this week for high-level meetings, suggesting that behind-the-scenes diplomacy is still active, even as public rhetoric intensifies.
Donald Trump’s recent remarks appear to tone down his previous aggressive posturing, possibly indicating a recalibration in his administration’s approach. However, uncertainty remains as to whether further punitive measures will be taken against countries like India and China that continue to maintain economic ties with Russia.
India’s foreign ministry also issued a firm statement following the tariff imposition, defending its decision to continue energy trade with Moscow. It reiterated that India’s purchases from Russia were consistent with its energy security needs and not driven by political considerations.
India has emerged as a key buyer of Russian crude, with imports amounting to $50.2 billion in the financial year 2024-25, according to estimates. This significant trade volume underlines the importance of the Russia-India partnership in global energy dynamics, despite mounting Western pressure.
As trade talks between India and the U.S. continue, New Delhi is likely to seek clarification on the future of these tariffs and any potential penalties. The Indian government views the current actions as discriminatory, especially given the U.S.’s continued trade engagements with Russia.
For now, Donald Trump’s backtracking on the tariff percentage may offer temporary relief, but with no concrete assurances or rollback of the 25% tariffs, uncertainty still looms large over the future of U.S.-India trade relations. All eyes are now on the upcoming diplomatic engagements between the U.S., India, and Russia, which will shape the next phase of this complex geopolitical triangle.
