‘That’s a big deal, not an easy thing to do’: Trump admits 50% tariffs on India soured bilateral relations

US President Donald Trump on Friday admitted that the 50 per cent tariff on India for purchasing Russian oil soured relations between the two countries.

“Look, India was their (Russia’s) biggest customer. I put a 50 per cent tariff on India because they’re buying oil from Russia. That’s not an easy thing to do,” Trump said in an fresh interview with foreign media.

India has faced outrage and a spike in anti-US sentiment after Trump imposed tariffs of up to 50 percent on some of its exports due to purchases of oil from Russia, under Western sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine.

“That’s a big deal. And it causes a rift with India,” Trump said in the interview.

Also Read: Patience with Putin ‘running out fast’: Trump hints at tougher US sanctions on Russia

Strained US-India trade relations

US-India ties have been under strain due to Trump’s trade war, with talks on lower tariff rates collapsing after India, the world’s fifth-largest economy, resisted opening its vast agricultural and dairy sectors. Bilateral trade between the two countries is worth more than $190 billion annually.

Trump first imposed additional tariffs of 25 per cent on imports from India and later said they would double to 50 per cent from August 27 as punishment for New Delhi’s increased purchases of Russian oil, as Washington works to end the war in Ukraine.

Also Read: India US Trade Deal: Negotiations may resume soon; PM Modi, Trump hopeful of resolving barriers  

Negotiations ongoing despite diplomatic friction

The US president said on Tuesday that his administration is continuing negotiations to address trade barriers with India and that he would speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signaling a potential reset after weeks of diplomatic friction.

Sergio Gor, nominated by Trump to be ambassador to India, said he expected progress when India’s commerce minister visits Washington next week.

Describing the tariffs as a “little hiccup,” Gor – also named Trump’s special envoy for South Asia – said of concern over India’s Russia ties, “We hold our friends to different standards.”

“I will make it a top priority to ensure that they’re pulled in our direction, not away from us,” Gor said of India. Gor noted that Trump, not shy about airing grievances with other leaders, has not personally attacked PM Modi.

Trump voices frustration with Putin

In the same interview, Trump said his patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin was running out but stopped short of threatening new sanctions over the Ukraine war. “Yeah. It’s sort of running out and running out fast,” said Trump when asked if his patience with Putin had run out.

The US president said he had long had a good relationship with Putin but expressed frustration at his failure to end the war. “We’re going to have to come down very, very strong,” he said. Trump added that sanctions on banks and oil were an option, but European countries also needed to participate.

US treasury calls for global tariffs on Russian oil

On the other hand, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday called on G7 countries to join the US in imposing tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil. According to a readout from the Treasury Department, Bessent welcomed efforts to immobilise Russian assets.

“During today’s call with G7 Finance Ministers, Secretary Bessent reiterated President Trump’s call to our G7 partners that, if they are truly committed to ending the war in Ukraine, they should join the United States in imposing tariffs on countries purchasing oil from Russia. Secretary Bessent and Ambassador Greer (Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative) also welcomed commitments to increase sanctions pressure and explore using immobilised Russian sovereign assets to further benefit Ukraine’s defence,” the statement said.