President Donald Trump suggested that the US may not impose secondary tariffs on India for continuing crude oil trade with Russia.
Speaking to Fox News aboard Air Force One, Trump acknowledged that such tariffs could be devastating for India but left open the possibility of enforcement if necessary.
He remarked that Russia had already lost India as a major oil buyer, with earlier purchases amounting to about 40 per cent.
The comments came after Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which ended without progress on the Russia Ukraine war.
Earlier, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had warned that if talks failed, additional sanctions on India could be imposed.
He noted that sanctions could either be raised or relaxed depending on future developments and may last indefinitely.
Currently, the US has imposed tariffs of up to 50 per cent on India, including 25 per cent on Russian oil purchases, effective from August 27.
In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs termed the move unjustified, adding that India would safeguard its economic security and national interests against such measures.
