Trump’s Call to Cease Indian Purchases of Russian Oil Poses Difficult Position for Modi | India

The relationship between India and the US faces its most significant challenge in decades as the Trump administration pressures India to stop purchasing Russian oil or face punitive tariffs. The US president, Donald Trump, has refused to cut tariffs on Indian exports to the US and has announced increased tariffs on India’s purchase of Russian oil, which constitutes one-third of India’s imported oil. India has been viewed by the US as a strong and dependable partner, with strong cooperation on various issues. The other top buyers of sanctioned Russian oil, China and Turkey, have not received similar threats from the US. India’s federal spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated that India’s bilateral relationships with various countries stand on their own and should not be seen through the lens of a third country. The political scientist Pratap Bhanu Mehta highlights that India’s mistake was in believing that by appeasing Trump, he would dial back. The distrust of the US in New Delhi is now comparable to that of 1971, one of the lowest points of the US-India relationship.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/04/donald-trump-demand-that-india-stop-buying-russian-oil-puts-narendra-modi-in-tight-spot