Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday said that President Donald Trump had applied “aggressive economic leverage,” such as secondary tariffs on India, in an attempt to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
Vance was speaking during an exclusive interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” when he also said the step would “make it harder” for the Russians to get rich from their oil economy.
Trump has applied aggressive economic leverage
“Trump has applied aggressive economic leverage, for example, secondary tariffs on India, to try to make it harder for the Russians to get rich from their oil economy,” Vance said.
The Trump administration has repeatedly targeted India over its purchase of discounted crude oil from Russia. Interestingly, Washington has refrained from making similar criticisms of China, which remains the largest buyer of Russian oil. India, however, has defended its position, stressing that its energy imports, including those from Russia, are guided purely by national interest and market realities.
Moderator Kristen Welker asked, “The question is, if the US is not imposing new sanctions, what is the pressure on Russia? How do you get them to a place of getting to the table with Zelenskyy and stopping to drop bombs?”
Vance responded that Trump’s tariffs were a deliberate attempt to push Moscow toward negotiations. “He tried to make it clear that Russia can be reinvited into the world economy if they stop the killing. But they are going to continue to be isolated if they don’t stop the killing,” he said.
Jaishankar hits back at US on Russian oil
On Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at an event in New Delhi took a jibe at the United States and Europe over the imposition of tariffs on Indian goods, firmly stating that no one was compelled to purchase refined oil or related products from India.
“It’s funny to have people who work for a pro-business American administration accusing other people of doing business,” Jaishankar said.
“That’s really curious. If you have a problem buying oil or refined products from India, don’t buy it. Nobody forces you to buy it. But Europe buys, America buys, so you don’t like it, don’t buy it,” he added.
India-US ties
Ever since Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duties for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil, relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a downturn.
Earlier on April 22, Vance while speaking in Jaipur had urged India to drop non-tariff barriers, give greater access to its markets and buy more American energy and military hardware as he laid out a broader roadmap of deeper ties between the two nations for a “prosperous and peaceful” 21st century.
The US has alleged that India’s purchases of Russian crude oil are funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine, a charge strongly rejected by India. New Delhi turned to purchasing Russian oil sold at a discount after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and shunned its supplies over its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
(With PTI inputs)
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