US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned India of further 'secondary sanctions' for its continued purchase of oil from Russia, just hours after imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian imports, raising the total tariff to 50 per cent.
When a reporter asked why India was being "singled out" while countries like China also buy Russian oil, Trump said, "It’s only been eight hours. So, let's see what happens. You’re going to see a lot more. You’re going to see so many secondary sanctions."
The president's remarks came during an Oval Office event amid growing pressure from the U.S. on nations to cut economic ties with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. When asked if a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine could lead to the removal of the new tariffs on India, Trump stated, "We will determine that later."
The new tariffs, which bring the total duty on most Indian goods to 50 per cent, are scheduled to come into force on August 27, 21 days after the signing of the executive order.
India Condemns 'Unfair' Tariff Hike
In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly condemned the tariff hike, calling it 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.' An official statement from the MEA said, "The United States has in recent days targeted India’s oil imports from Russia. We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India."
The statement added, "India will take all necessary steps to protect its national interest. The US decision is extremely unfortunate and goes against the principles of mutual respect and strategic partnership." India has consistently defended its energy relations with Russia, citing national interest, energy security, and competitive pricing.
Also Read: Indian exporters seek govt help to survive Trump’s 25% import tax
Trump Mulls China Tariffs
President Trump also hinted at the possibility of imposing similar tariffs on China for its Russian oil purchases, which are also a point of contention. When asked by reporters about additional sanctions on China, Trump said, 'Could happen.'
He added that more secondary sanctions are expected to increase pressure on Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine. "It may happen... I can't tell you yet," Trump said. "We did it with India. We are doing it probably with a couple of others. One of them 'could be China.'
Also Read: Trump imposes 50 pc tariffs on India
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