TNI Bureau: U.S. President Donald Trump has said he plans to significantly increase tariffs on India within the next 24 hours. Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Trump called India “not a good trading partner” and criticised the country for continuing to buy oil from Russia.
Trump stated that although a 25% tariff had already been imposed, he intended to raise it further, linking the decision to India’s energy trade with Russia. He said India was helping fund Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying crude oil and, in some cases, reselling it for profit.
In a separate message on his social media platform, Trump accused India of ignoring the impact of the war in Ukraine and said the U.S. would respond by increasing trade penalties.
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India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded by saying that oil imports from Russia are based on the need to ensure affordable energy for its people. The ministry pointed out that Western nations criticising India are also engaged in trade with Russia. It added that targeting India alone is unfair and not in line with global trade realities.
Talks between the two countries on a wider trade deal have faced delays, particularly over issues like agriculture and genetically modified crops. Despite ongoing discussions, tensions have grown over India’s stance on Russian oil.
India continues to import Russian crude oil, with several shipments arriving recently.
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