Trump Criticizes India’s Tariffs, Suggests Sanctions Related to Russian Oil Purchases

During a radio interview, President Trump claimed India offered to eliminate tariffs after the US imposed duties on Indian products. He criticized India’s past high tariffs, suggesting that the offer was a direct result of US actions. Trump emphasized his view that tariffs are necessary to balance trade, specifically mentioning China, India, and Brazil. He also addressed the issue of countries trading with Russia, stating that additional tariffs, ‘Phase-2’ and ‘Phase-3,’ may be implemented. He described secondary sanctions on India as a move against Russia, which has cost Russia billions of dollars. Trump pointed out India’s position as a major buyer of Russian oil after China, implying that India could face penalties for its continued energy imports from Moscow. He reminded that India would face “big problems” if it continued to purchase Russian oil. Trump labeled the trade relationship with India as “one-sided” due to the disparity between Indian exports to the US and American companies’ difficulties accessing the Indian market.