India Watches Closely As Trump Signals Secondary Tariffs On Russian Oil Buyers May Be Avoided

US President Donald Trump has suggested that Washington may not move ahead with secondary tariffs on nations purchasing crude oil from Russia, a move that had raised concerns in India. His remarks came during an interview with Fox News on Friday while aboard Air Force One, as he travelled to Alaska for a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Well, he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) lost an oil client, so to speak, which is India, which was doing about 40 per cent of the oil. China, as you know, is doing a lot… And if I did what's called a secondary sanction, or a secondary tariff, it would be very devastating from their standpoint. If I have to do it, I'll do it. Maybe I won't have to do it,” Trump stated.

The much-anticipated meeting with Putin concluded without any concrete agreement on halting the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Treasury Hints at Tougher Measures

Earlier in the week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had raised the possibility of harsher measures against countries maintaining Russian oil imports. In an interview with Bloomberg, he remarked, “I think everyone has been frustrated with President Putin. We expected that he would come to the table in a more fulsome way. It looks like he may be ready to negotiate.”

Bessent further underlined that if talks did not progress, India could face more pressure. “And we put secondary tariffs on the Indians for buying Russian oil. And I could see, if things don't go well, then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up,” he said. He also noted that sanctions are flexible instruments: “Sanctions can go up, they can be loosened. They can have a definitive life. They can go on indefinitely.”

Tariffs on India Already Announced

The Trump administration has already announced tariffs totalling 50 per cent on Indian goods, including a 25 per cent levy specifically linked to New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian crude. These measures are scheduled to come into effect from August 27.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has pushed back strongly against the move. In a statement, it described the targeting of India as “unjustified and unreasonable”. The ministry added, “Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”

Balancing Geopolitics and Trade

Trump’s latest comments, which appear to leave room for manoeuvre on secondary sanctions, come at a time when global energy markets remain volatile due to the prolonged war in Ukraine. For India, which relies on diversified energy sources, the risk of additional penalties from the US poses both economic and diplomatic challenges.

With the August 27 deadline approaching, all eyes will remain on how Washington and New Delhi navigate this delicate balancing act between strategic interests, energy security, and evolving geopolitical tensions.

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