Trump reacts to India citing US trade with Russia amid tariff threat: 'Don't know...'

Donald Trump was asked about India's argument that the US buys Russian uranium and fertilisers even as he criticises New Delhi for doing business with Moscow

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday reacted to India citing the United States doing trade with Russia and yet criticising New Delhi for doing business with Russia. "I don't know anything about it, I'd have to check, but we'll get back to you on that," he said in reply to a reporter's question.

US President Donald Trump reacted to India's remarks citing America doing trade with Russia. (REUTERS)

Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on Indian imports and unspecified penalties last week, ahead of his August 1 deadline for tariffs to come into effect even as talks for a deal are ongoing. Later, Trump threatened to hike that rate due to New Delhi buying military equipment and oil from Russia, calling India "Russia’s largest buyer of energy, along with China".

Hitting back at Trump's tariff move, India pointed out to the US imports from Russia. “Where the US is concerned, it continues to import from Russia uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for its EV industry, fertilisers as well as chemicals,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Citing this, New Delhi called Trump's targeting of India “unjustified and unreasonable”, and reiterated that the government would safeguard its national interests and economic security.

Even as Trump continues his tirade against India, threatening to raise tariffs and accusing the country of “fuelling the war machine” by doing business with Russia, his own party leader, Indian-American Nikki Haley, has come out in support of India.

Taking to X, the leader called India a “strong ally”, and urged against the US giving a pass to China. "India should not be buying oil from Russia. But China, an adversary and the number one buyer of Russian and Iranian oil, got a 90-day tariff pause. Don’t give China a pass and burn a relationship with a strong ally like India," she wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Trump has also clarified that he never specified the tariffs the US would impose on countries buying Russian energy. The US President was asked if he would come through on his 100% tariff threat. "I never said a percentage, but we'll be doing quite a bit of that. We'll see what happens over the next fairly short period of time. But we will see what happens...", he said.

His remarks came nearly a month after he threatened 100% tariffs on Russia and secondary tariffs on countries doing business with Moscow, as he gave a 50-day deadline for a truce in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Even in the face of Trump's tariff threats, the Indian government has reportedly not issued any directives asking importers to reduce trade with Russia.

India clarified its stance on sourcing energy in particular, saying the country was "guided by what is on offer in markets and prevailing global situation".

India also stated that the relationship it shares with any country should not be viewed through the prism of a third nation.

“The sourcing of defence requirement is determined solely by our national security imperatives and strategic assessments. Similarly, the sourcing of our energy needs...we are guided by what is available in the markets and by prevailing global circumstances," Jaiswal said during a press briefing last week.

According to a Reuters report, in 2024-25, India purchased Russian oil worth $50.2 billion. India ramped up imports of discounted Russian commodities after the US and its western allies imposed sanctions on Russia as its war with Ukraine began in 2022.