US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned India of increasing secondary tariffs over the Russian oil trade. He said that the raise in tariffs is dependent on the outcome of US President Donald Trump’s high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.
In an interview to Bloomberg TV on Wednesday, Bessent said, “We’ve put secondary tariffs on Indians for buying Russian oil. And I could see, if things don’t go well, then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up.”
Earlier this month, Trump had slapped India with 50 per cent tariffs, including 25 per cent as penalty for buying Russian oil and weapons.
Responding to the tariffs, the Ministry of External Affairs has said that the targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable. “Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” it said.
Statement by Official Spokesperson⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/BNwLm9YmJc pic.twitter.com/DsvRvhd61D— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) August 6, 2025
“President Trump is meeting with President Putin, and the Europeans are in the wings carping about how he should do it, what he should do. The Europeans need to join us in these sanctions. The Europeans need to be willing to put on these secondary sanctions,” Bessent said.
Along with this, Trump has also warned Russia of “severe consequences” if Moscow does not agree to a peace deal.
About 35-40 per cent of India’s oil imports come from Russia, a steep increase from 3 per cent in 2021. New Delhi’s purchase of discounted Russian oil since the beginning of the Ukraine war has led to a strain in its ties with Washington.
Although India is not the only country purchasing Russian oil, it is the only country to have suffered from Trump’s effort to get a ceasefire in Ukraine.
This is a second remark Bessent has made about India after he called India a “bit recalcitrant” regarding the trade deal, in an interview with Fox Business.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday hit back at Bessent through a post on X. He said, “I hear some people are accusing India of being ‘recalcitrant’. I say, far better to be recalcitrant, than to be tractable, submissive or acquiescent in injustice.”
I hear some people are accusing India of being “recalcitrant“. I say, far better to be recalcitrant, than to be tractable, submissive or acquiescent to injustice.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 14, 2025
Trump’s tariffs on India are set to come into effect on 27th August.
