Andrews (PHOTO/US Network Pool via Reuters)
US President Donald Trump has held out a fresh warning to India over raising tariffs if continued imports of Russian oil, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of his displeasure on the issue.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, January 4, 2026, Trump said it
was important for India to keep him happy on the issue of Russian oil imports.
“PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was
important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very
quickly,” Trump said.
US Senator Lindsey Graham who was traveling with President Trump, claimed that Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra spoke to him last month about India buying less Russian oil and asked him to tell US President Donald Trump to relieve the 25 per cent tariff.
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Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One alongside Trump, Graham said, “I was at
the Indian Ambassador’s house a month ago, and all he wanted to talk about was
how India is buying less Russian oil. And he asked me to tell the President to relieve
the 25% tariff.”
The US strike on Venezuela has brought the issue of oil to the forefront of
geopolitics once again. Venezuela has massive oil reserves, which total over 303
billion barrels, making them the world’s largest proven reserves. However, production
has dwindled to 1 million barrels per day due to US sanctions and underinvestment.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves (estimated at over 300 billion
barrels), which represent roughly 17% of the total global oil supply, OPEC data
shows.
Trump’s new warning to India comes amid growing scrutiny in Washington over
India’s energy trade with Russia, even as New Delhi has defended its oil purchases
as essential for domestic energy security.
The comments also come just weeks after Trump and Prime Minister Modi held a
telephonic conversation, during which both leaders stressed the importance of
maintaining momentum in bilateral trade ties despite ongoing tariff-related tensions.
The call coincided with the launch of a fresh round of negotiations between Indian
and US officials aimed at resolving the long-standing trade impasse.
Only days before the conversation with Modi, Trump had threatened to impose new
tariffs on Indian rice imports. The warning followed complaints raised by a US farmer
representative at a White House roundtable, who alleged dumping by India, China
and Thailand.