Trump aide accuses India of financing Russia's war in Ukraine
A senior Trump administration official on Aug. 3 accused India of helping fund Russia's war in Ukraine by continuing to import oil from Moscow.
Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff and a close adviser to United States President Donald Trump, made the comments during an appearance on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures.
"What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia," Miller said.
Miller's criticism was some of the strongest yet by the Trump administration about one of the United States' major partners in the Indo-Pacific, and came just days after Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian imports.
The policy took effect Aug. 1 in response to India's continued purchases of Russian military equipment and energy.
"People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil," he said. "That's an astonishing fact."
New Delhi's reliance on Russian crude oil grew after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. At the beginning of that year, Russian oil accounted for just 0.2% of India's imports.
The Indian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, Indian government officials told Reuters on Aug. 2 that the country intends to continue buying Russian oil despite U.S. warnings.
Despite the tensions, Miller emphasized the president's relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling it "tremendous."
