On Monday, January 5, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump gave a clear warning to India that the United States could impose higher tariffs on Indian products if India does not help with the Russian oil issue. Trump directly connected this warning to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which has deeply influenced global trade and diplomatic relations.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said that the United States “could raise tariffs on India if they don’t have help on Russian oil issue.” By this, he meant that if India continues to buy oil from Russia amidst the war, the U.S. might increase taxes on goods imported from India.

Trump also spoke about his impression of India’s actions by referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his comments, he said, “They wanted to make me happy, basically... PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly…” This quote shows both his praise for Modi personally and a warning tied to trade decisions.

The American president’s message was a mix of praise and pressure — praising Modi’s personal qualities while threatening to increase tariff duties if India does not adjust its approach to Russian oil.

Trump’s comments referred to India’s continued import of Russian oil, which the U.S. administration has repeatedly opposed. The U.S. has expressed concern that revenues from Russian oil sales support Russia in the war against Ukraine. Trump has used this issue as justification for raising tariffs on Indian goods — a major point of tension in current U.S.–India economic relations.

Earlier, in August 2025, Trump doubled tariffs on Indian imports to 50%, citing India’s ongoing purchases of Russian crude as a key reason. Even with these high tariffs already in place, Trump’s latest remarks suggest the possibility of increasing them further if India does not cooperate on this issue.

Although the warning to India was strict, Trump also made positive comments about Prime Minister Modi. Trump described Modi as “a very good man” and “a good guy.” He said that Modi knew Trump was not happy with India’s actions regarding Russian oil and that Modi wanted to “make me happy.”

This praise shows that Trump views his personal relationship with Modi positively, even as he criticises the Indian government’s policy on energy imports.

In earlier months, Trump had said that Modi had promised to stop buying Russian oil and suggested this was a major step in increasing pressure on Moscow. However, India later clarified that no such conversation took place between the U.S. and Indian leaders about ending Russian oil purchases. This created some confusion and disagreement between the two governments.

This clarification from India came after Trump publicly stated that Modi had given him that assurance, but Indian officials have said they are not aware of any such confirmation or specific commitment.

Trump’s latest warning is part of broader trade tensions between the U.S. and India. The 50% tariff already imposed is one of the highest U.S. duties on Indian goods in recent years. These tariffs are meant to pressure India to change its approach to Russian oil imports.

Tariff increases like this impact many sectors, including textiles, chemicals, and other Indian exports to the U.S. These trade barriers have made U.S.–India economic negotiations difficult, with disagreements over energy policy and market opening.

Despite these pressures, India has continued to defend its purchases of Russian oil. Indian officials have said that buying oil from Russia is important for the country’s energy security and economic stability. They argue that decisions on energy imports are made to serve the needs of India’s population and economy, not to take sides in global politics.

India became one of the largest buyers of discounted Russian crude after the Ukraine war began in 2022. Many countries followed strict sanctions on Russian energy, but India continued imports because of lower prices and its own economic needs. Western nations, including the U.S., have viewed these purchases as helping Russia finance its war.

The combination of Trump’s tariff policy and his comments reflects a push by the U.S. to change India’s stance. But India says its energy decisions are based on market needs and domestic interests. This ongoing tension shows that trade and geopolitics are deeply linked in the U.S.–India relationship today.

Keywords- Donald Trump, India, Russian oil, tariffs, PM Narendra Modi, US-India trade, Russia-Ukraine war.