Trump claimed India, a significant consumer of Russian crude, had stopped such purchases. However, India maintains that its oil imports are based on economic necessity and its relationship with the US transcends trade disputes.
New Delhi: India on Saturday, August 16, welcomed the summit between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska to end the Ukraine-Russia war. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal hailed the leadership of Trump and Putin, stating that the “world wants to see an early end to the conflict. ”India appreciates the progress made in the Summit. The way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the conflict in Ukraine,” the statement read. The meeting between Trump and Putin had lasted for nearly three hours, followed by a 12-minute joint press appearance.
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In an interview with Fox News after the talks, Trump said the tariff issue could be reconsidered “in two or three weeks,” but added that he does not need to take any immediate decision. Calling the summit “very productive,” Trump avoided spelling out whether penalties on countries purchasing Russian crude, including India, would be rolled back or tightened. The US had already slapped a total of 50% duty on Indian goods this summer, citing India’s continued import of discounted Russian oil. The next round of tariffs is due on August 27, unless Trump changes course. He also claimed that India has stopped buying oil from Russia.
Trump underlined India’s importance in Russia’s energy trade, noting that Moscow had effectively “lost an oil client” in New Delhi, which he claimed accounted for nearly 40% of Russian crude sales. “Well, they lost an oil client so to speak, which is India, which was doing about 40% of the oil. China, as you know, is doing a lot…And if I did what’s called a secondary sanction, or a secondary tariff, it would be very devastating from their standpoint. If I have to do it, I’ll do it. Maybe I won’t have to do it,” he told Fox News.
Earlier, India had defended buying oil from Russia, stressing that energy purchases are driven by economic needs and affordability. New Delhi has maintained that ties with Washington are much broader than trade disputes and should not be viewed through the lens of its relations with Moscow. For now, Trump’s mixed signals mean India will have to wait. The Alaska summit may have helped Putin regain some diplomatic space, but it offered New Delhi no clarity on whether tariffs will be scrapped, delayed, or enforced as planned.