US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he will be substantially increasing tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil and selling it in the open market to reap "big profit".
"India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, but they are also then, for much of the oil purchased, selling it on the open market for big profits," Trump posted on Truth Social.
"They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA (sic)," he added.
Trump had last week announced a 25% tariff on Indian imports, citing what he called India's “strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers” and a large bilateral trade deficit. The US president had also stated that he would levy an "additional penalty" on India for its continued purchase of Russian military equipment and oil, saying it was “not good” at a time when the world wanted Russia to “stop the killing in Ukraine.”
India's Ministry of External Affairs, in response to queries, said in a media briefing last week that New Delhi and Moscow have a "steady and time-tested partnership".
Trump, in remarks issued later last week, said that he “doesn't care” what India does with Russia, calling both economies “dead” and accused New Delhi of maintaining unfair trade practices.
India's Oil Purchase From Russia
Between April and June, Russian oil accounted for 33.7% of India's overall crude imports, as per official data. This is slightly lower as compared to calendar year 2024, when Russian oil accounted for 36% of India's cumulative crude imports.
However, there seems to be a shift in the sourcing of the crude from the US in the period between April and June 2025. In 2024, India imported only 3.5% of its total crude from the US, but the country's share has increased to 8.5% in the first three months of this fiscal.
India has maintained that its decision on how and where to buy the crude from will depend on its energy security needs.
The government has already instructed Indian refiners to ensure security of crude supplies and mitigate dependence from a single region. Indian oil public sector undertakings have diversified their crude basket and are procuring crude from countries located in various geographical locations viz. Middle East, Africa, North America, and South America, among others.
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