US President Donald Trump conceded on Friday that imposing a 50% tariff on India for its purchase of Russian oil made bilateral relations tense.
"Look, India was their (Russia's) biggest customer. I put a 50% tariff on India because they're buying oil from Russia. That's not an easy thing to do," Trump told Fox News in an interview.
The move triggered backlash in India, where public anger grew alongside a rise in anti-American sentiment. The tariffs of up to 50% were placed on Indian exports in response to New Delhi’s continued oil purchases from Russia, which remains under Western sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine.
"That's a big deal. And it causes a rift with India," Trump told the "Fox & Friends" program.
Tensions between New Delhi and Washington have intensified amid Trump's trade war, especially after negotiations on cutting tariffs broke down. India, the fifth-largest economy in the world, has refused to open its market for agriculture and dairy products, major points of contention in the negotiations. Two-way trade between the two countries is more than $190 billion a year.
First, the Trump government imposed a 25% tariff on Indian imports, before it announced raising the rate to 50% from August 27. The decision, Trump stated, was in direct response to India's increasing use of Russian oil, as Washington makes efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Albeit tensions, Trump signaled earlier this week that talks with India are still continuing. He mentioned that his government is looking for ways to settle trade disputes and further stated that he will talk to Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortly — a possible indication of easing diplomatic tension.
Sergio Gor, Trump's nominee to become U.S. ambassador to India, was hopeful for progress when India's commerce minister comes to Washington next week.
Referring to the tariffs as a "little hiccup," Gor — also Trump's special envoy for South Asia — underscored the administration's worry about India's Russia connection. "We hold our friends to different standards," he explained, then added, "I will make it a top priority to ensure that they're pulled in our direction, not away from us".
Gor also pointed out that Trump, for all his frequently blunt rebukes of other world leaders, has so far avoided personal comments against Prime Minister Modi.
In the same Fox News show, meanwhile, Trump implied that his patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin was thinning. "Yeah. It's sort of running out and running out fast," said Trump when asked if his patience with Putin had run out.
While Trump acknowledged having had a "good relationship" with Putin previously, he complained about Moscow's ongoing aggression in Ukraine. "We're going to have to come down very, very strong," he said. He also emphasized that European countries needed to be involved in any such action.
