Indian-American Republican leader Nikki Haley criticized President Donald Trump for threatening to threaten to increase tariffs on Russian oil imports from India, warning that such a step could harm the relations with a prominent American ally, giving generosity to China.In a post on X on Tuesday, Haley aimed at what was seen as an unequal approach from the Trump administration. “India should not buy oil from Russia. But China, an anti-Russian and Iranian oil number one buyer got a 90-day tariff stagnation,” he wrote.
He said, “Do not give a pass to China and light a relationship with a strong ally like India.”His comment was followed by Trump, in a press briefing on Tuesday, after 25% of the duty imposed last week, threatened to increase the tariff on Indian goods. He also rejected the offer of India’s report of zero tariffs on American goods, saying, “It’s not quite good, because what they are doing with oil.”The White House has indicated the growing American trade deficit with India as the justification for the move, accusing New Delhi of maintaining high tariffs on American goods and limiting market access. Continuous imports of India’s Russian raw and military hardware have also investigated.India is now the largest seborn buyer of Russian crude oil, which imports about 1.75 million barrels per day in the first half of 2025, above the same period last year. While the US initially welcomed India’s role in helping stabilizing global oil supply, Trump now claims that those purchases are helping Finance President Vladimir Putin in the war in Ukraine.However, India remains firm in its stand. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry of India responded to Trump’s announcement that national interest is the top priority of the country.The ministry said in a statement, “The government attaches immense importance to save and promote the welfare of our farmers, entrepreneurs and MSMEs. The government will take all the steps required to secure our national interest, as is with other trade agreements including the latest comprehensive economic and trade agreement with the UK.”New Delhi has also made it clear that its agriculture and dairy areas stay away from the table in any business talks – a situation that continues to maintain it in all former trade agreements.
