Trump said Modi had assured him India would stop buying Russian oil, warning New Delhi it would face “massive” US tariffs if it did not comply.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday, 19 October 2025 that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured him India will cease purchasing Russian oil, and he cautioned that New Delhi would face “massive” tariffs if it failed to comply.
Trump has cited India’s purchases of Russian oil as a key point of tension in extended trade negotiations, with half of his 50% tariffs on Indian products linked to those imports.
“I spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India, and he said he’s not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
The US has already imposed a 50% tariff on many Indian exports, plus a 25% surcharge on transactions involving Russia. Trump has indicated these tariffs will remain or increase unless India halts its Russian oil imports.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said, on 1 September 2025, that India had offered to reduce tariffs on American goods to zero.
