‘They’re not doing well’: Trump calls tariffs on India over Russian oil ‘big blow’ to Moscow; vows more pressure

US President Donald Trump

NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that his tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil delivered a “big blow” to Moscow’s economy.Addressing a press briefing, Trump referred to India as Russia’s “largest or second-largest oil buyer” and asserted that the 50% tariffs on India have hit the Russian economy hard.Also read: Donald Trump tariffs on India – Can Indian refiners do without Russian oil? ‘Major economic and strategic trade-offs involved…’He linked Russia’s economic challenges to the ongoing conflict, emphasising that the US’s 50 per cent tariff on countries buying Russian oil had a substantial impact. Alluding to India, Trump remarked, “Their economy is not doing well right now because it’s been very well disturbed by this. It doesn’t help when the President of the United States tells their largest or second-largest oil buyer that we’re putting a 50 per cent tariff on you if you buy oil from Russia. That was a big blow.”Trump mentioned he was ready to take further measures but received a call from Putin. “I haven’t stopped there. I mean, look, I was all set to do things far bigger than that. But I got a call that they’d like to meet, and I’m going to see what they want to meet about.”Also read: ‘They’ve been dealing quite nicely,’ US extends China tariff truce by 90 days; Trump-Xi summit on cards?He described the upcoming meeting with Russia as a “big deal,” stating, “I’ll be calling the European leaders. They’re tired of it (the Russia-Ukraine war). They want to get back to spending money on their countries. They want to get back to building their own countries. They want it resolved.”The tariffs on India, imposed by Trump, have been a contentious issue between the two nations. The US has levied a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, citing India’s oil imports from Russia.The ministry of external affairs in a statement called the US move ‘unfortunate’ and reiterated its stand that India would continue to protect its national interests. In a strongly worded statement, the MEA said, “..it is extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest.”