 (8).png)
1 week ago
3
ARTICLE AD BOX
Summary
As India-US extend endlessly, Donald Trump has issued a fresh tariff threat over Indian imports of Russian oil. Is this something to worry about or just another pressure tactic over a trade deal?
Even as extended negotiations go on between Washington and New Delhi on trade, US President Donald Trump seems to have thrown another spanner in the works. On Sunday, he said India could face fresh tariffs if it didn’t cut Russian oil purchases. “We could raise tariffs on India if they don’t help on the Russian oil issue,” he said.
India already faces a 50% US import tariff, half of it imposed as a punitive measure for its crude-oil shipments from Russia. Ironically, this rate has placed Indian exporters at a disadvantage vis-a-vis those of China, with which the US has engaged in an on-and-off trade war under Trump. His latest threat suggests he would have no qualms raising that barrier further.
Of course, this is not how international relations are supposed to work. Indian imports from Russia are India’s own business; moreover, it’s never too clear how updated Trump keeps himself on such data.
So it’s hard to tell whether we should interpret his weekend utterance as a signal of worse to come. What’s clear is the disregard he has shown for painstakingly built bilateral ties. Perhaps it’s just a pressure tactic as trade talks enter their final stretch. If so, New Delhi could just shrug and carry on.
English (US) ·