US President Donald Trump on Tuesday emphasized his good relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, he highlighted that PM Modi is Unhappy about the high tariffs placed on India for buying Russian oil.
At the House GOP Member Retreat, Trump talked about his discussions with PM Modi regarding US defense sales and tariff measures. He pointed out that while their relationship is friendly, the tariff issue has caused some tension.
Trump says Modi is Unhappy with Tariffs
“I have a very good relationship with PM Modi, but he is not happy with me, as India is paying high tariffs. But now they have reduced it very substantially, buying oil from Russia,” Trump said.
The 50% tariffs imposed because of India’s large purchases of Russian oil, which the US views as supporting Russia’s economy during the Ukraine conflict.
Trump’s comments came a day after he warned that the US could further raise tariffs on Indian goods if New Delhi does not address US concerns about Russian oil imports. “They wanted to make me happy, basically. Modi is a very good man; he is a good guy. He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy,” he said.
How trump defend himself over high tariffs
Trump also defended the tariff policy during his speech, claiming that the United States is financially benefiting from these measures.
His remarks follow a series of warnings to New Delhi about its ongoing energy trade with Moscow. He earlier warned that the US might raise tariffs further if India does not “help on the Russian oil issue,” linking the pressure to the Russia-Ukraine war.
He has accused India of bolstering Moscow by purchasing discounted Russian crude and has used this as justification for higher duties on Indian goods. Trump has also applied tariff pressure to influence India’s actions, suggesting that New Delhi understood his dissatisfaction and aimed to keep stable trade relations.
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