United States President Donald Trump publicly claimed on Wednesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally “assured” him that India would cease purchasing Russian oil.
The statement, made in response to a question from ANI news agency at the White House, signals a significant development in the continuous US effort to decouple India’s energy trade from Moscow.
“…I was not happy that India was buying oil. And he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop,” Trump said, adding that he would now attempt to “get China to do the same thing.” He further noted that he shares a “great relationship” with PM Modi.
Trump also asserted that the change would occur “within a short period of time,” although he clarified that it would not be immediate.
US Tariffs and Trade Pressure
The US President’s remarks come as he has maintained significant trade pressure on India, having levied 50 per cent tariffs on the country, among the highest in the world. This includes additional 25 per cent duties specifically levied on account of the purchase of Russian oil.
This trade pressure has been a central point of discussion. Just a week prior, Trump’s trade representative, Jamieson Greer, had claimed that India was already diversifying away from Russian oil.
“The Indians are pragmatic and I think they’re already diversifying away from Russian oil,” Greer alleged at the Economic Club of New York. He maintained that the US was not trying “to dictate” India’s relations with other countries, stating, “India is a sovereign country. They control their own decisions. We aren’t trying to dictate their relations with other countries.”
Russia’s Warning
The US efforts have drawn a strong reaction from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who previously warned that attempts to pressure India and China into cutting trade ties with Moscow could backfire economically.
“If India refuses our energy supplies, it will suffer a certain loss… of course, the people of a country like India, believe me, will closely monitor the decisions made by the political leadership and will never allow any humiliation in front of anyone,” Putin said.
Source: Hindustan Times
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