The United States could raise tariffs on India if New Delhi doesn’t meet Washington’s demand to curb purchases of Russian oil, President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
“Modi is a good guy. He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy,” Trump said on Sunday.
“They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” Trump said in response to a question on India’s Russian oil purchases.
India’s commerce ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. doubled import tariffs on Indian goods to 50% last year as punishment for its heavy buying of Russian oil. Despite the hefty tariffs, India’s exports to the U.S. leapt in November.
Encouraged by the improved trade data, Indian officials have maintained a firm stance against U.S. trade demands, signalling limited flexibility in areas such as agricultural imports, while data shows India’s oil purchases from Russia have declined.
India is asking refiners for weekly disclosures of Russian and U.S. oil purchases, people familiar with the matter told Reuters last week, adding that they expect Russian crude imports to dip below 1 million barrels per day as New Delhi seeks to clinch a trade deal with Washington.
Modi has spoken to Trump at least three times over the phone since he imposed tariffs, but the discussions remain inconclusive.
India’s Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal met U.S. Deputy Trade Representative Rick Switzer to discuss bilateral trade and economic ties last month in Delhi.
Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham on Sunday claimed that Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Vinay Mohan spoke to him last month asking for relief in tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Graham, U.S. Indian Ambassador tried to convince the American administration of India’s introducing its purchase of Russian oil. Speaking to reporters on the Air Force One alongside Trump, Graham said, “I was at the Indian Ambassador’s house a month ago and all he wanted to talk about was how India is buying less Russian oil and asked me to tell the President to relieve the 25% tariff.”
This comes as the President has warned India. Meanwhile U.S. has recently stricken Venezuela and brought the issue of oil into the forefront of geopolitics once again. Venezuela has massive oil reserves which total over 303 billion barrels, making them the world’s largest proven reserves.
Read more: Multiple explosions heard in Venezuelan capital amid escalation with US (VIDEO)
#WATCH | On India’s Russian oil imports, US President Donald J Trump says, “… They wanted to make me happy, basically… PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very… pic.twitter.com/OxOoj69sx3
— ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2026
However, production has dwindled to 1 million barrels per day due to U.S. sanctions and under-investments. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, which represents roughly 17% of the total global oil supply, OPEC data shows. The comments also come just weeks after Trump and Prime Minister Modi held a telephonic conversation during which both leaders agreed on maintaining momentum in bilateral trade despite the ongoing tariff tensions.
Indian and U.S. officials have also renewed the talks on the trade tariffs. Only days before the conversations with Modi, Trump had threatened to impose new tariffs on Indian rice.
With the Additional Inputs from GVS South Asia Desk
