Trump Says India Reduced Russian Oil Imports to Ease Trade Tensions, Warns of Further Tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that India has recently scaled back its oil purchases from Russia in an attempt to improve trade relations with Washington. Speaking on Sunday, Trump said the move was aimed at securing progress on an India–U.S. trade agreement and at easing tensions over tariffs.

According to Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seeking to “keep the relationship positive,” adding that further trade penalties could be imposed “very quickly” if India resumes large-scale imports of Russian crude.

The U.S. President’s remarks were followed by comments from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who said Indian officials had raised the issue of oil imports during diplomatic discussions late last year. Graham stated that India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, referred to declining energy purchases from Russia during a December 2025 meeting.

According to the senator, the ambassador requested that he convey India’s position to Trump and seek relief from a 25% penalty tariff imposed by the U.S., which is in addition to an existing 25% reciprocal tariff structure.

The comments highlight growing pressure on New Delhi as Washington continues to link trade access with geopolitical alignment, particularly concerning Russia. While India has not publicly confirmed a policy shift on energy imports, officials have repeatedly stated that procurement decisions are guided by national interest and market conditions.

Trade analysts say the latest exchange underscores the delicate balance India is attempting to maintain between safeguarding economic interests and managing strategic relationships amid tightening U.S. trade enforcement.

More updates are on the way—stay tuned with Raga Zone.