US may raise tariffs on India 'very quickly' if it keeps buying Russian oil, Trump says
The United States may raise tariffs on Indian goods if New Delhi does not reduce its purchases of Russian oil, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Jan. 4.
India, alongside China, has become the biggest buyer of Russian oil since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, after sanctions drove down the price of Moscow's crude.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi understood Washington's displeasure over India's continued trade with Russia.
"Modi is a good guy. He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy," Trump said, adding that India continues to trade with Russia and that the U.S. "can raise tariffs very quickly."
In August 2025, Washington imposed 50% tariffs on Indian imports.
The White House linked half of that rate — 25% — to India's purchases of Russian oil, which surged more than 60-fold after the war began, peaking at around 2 million barrels per day.
After new sanctions targeted Russia's largest oil companies, Indian imports fell to about 1.2 million barrels per day in December, a three-year low, according to estimates by analytics firm Kpler.
Despite the decline, Indian officials have previously signaled that New Delhi does not intend to cut Russian oil imports, even in the face of U.S. tariffs.
Together, India and China account for roughly 85% of Russia's crude exports, providing Moscow with a critical source of revenue as it continues its war against Ukraine.
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