Trump says PM Modi 'not happy' with tariffs despite their ‘good relationship’

Trump said PM Modi is unhappy with US tariffs on India and claimed again that India has cut Russian oil imports.

Updated on: Jan 7, 2026, 02:50:06 IST

By Shirin Gupta

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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “not happy” with the steep tariffs that Washington has imposed on India. Trump's remarks came at a House GOP Member Retreat in Washington DC.

President Trump acknowledged Prime Minister Modi's dissatisfaction over U.S. tariffs on Indian goods tied to Russian oil purchases. (AP)

Trump said: “I have a very good relationship with him (PM Modi). He’s not that happy with me because they’re paying a lot of tariffs now.”

He claimed that India has reduced Russian oil imports “very substantially,” but has not conceded on reducing the tariff pressure until Washington's concerns are fully addressed.

India, however, India has already denied that PM Modi promised Trump that New Delhi would cease purchasing Russian oil, stating that no such discussion occurred.

Trump has levied a 50% tariff on Indian commodities, which includes a 25% tax that is directly related to India's purchases of Russian oil.

What did Trump say?

In his speech, Trump defended the larger tariff regime, arguing that the measures were financially advantageous to the United States. "We are getting rich because of the tariffs. I hope everyone understands that," Trump said.

U.S. sanctions on Russian oil businesses and increased tariffs on India has led to a reduction in Indian oil imports, Trump said.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, among the most vocal advocates on more tariffs on nations that import Russian oil, is pushing for up to 500% taxes on nations that continue to purchase Russian oil.

"If you are buying cheap Russian oil, you keep Putin's war machine going," he said, adding that “we are trying to give the President the ability to make that a hard choice by tariffs.”

The remarks follow after Trump issued a warning earlier in January, saying Washington could increase tariffs on Indian imports even further if New Delhi does not “help on the Russian oil issue.”

Trump has used tariff pressure as a way to influence India's actions, claiming that New Delhi recognized his displeasure and wished to maintain economic relations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shirin Gupta
Shirin Gupta is a content producer with the Hindustan Times. She covers everything between politics, entertainment and sports at the US desk. Shirin got interested in political journalism during her time as a web editor at her college newspaper NCC News in Syracuse when she first started seeing the effects of national politics in life of her fellow colleagues. Shirin has worked on a wide range of fast-moving and developing stories locally when she was at NCC editing accessible reports for the audience. Her current role requires her to track real-time updates, verify information and present balanced coverage across diverse beats. Covering US politics from an international newsroom perspective has further deepened her understanding of how domestic decisions can have far-reaching global consequences. With a keen interest in international affairs, Shirin continues to build her expertise in geopolitics, policy shifts, and cross-border developments. She aims to learn and evolve her reporting in matters of geopolitics and international issues. Outside the newsroom Shirin writes about books and music for her personal blog. She is an avid consumer of pop culture and reveres literature.Read More

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