Donald Trump says he heard India may stop buying oil from Russia: 'Good step'
"I understand that India is no longer going to be buying oil from Russia. That's what I heard, I don't know if that's right or not. That is a good step. We will see what happens," Trump told ANI.
Trump's remarks come days after his tirade against India for buying Russian oil and the White House's decision to levy 25 per cent tariffs on all exports to America and an unspecified additional 'penalty' for purchasing Russian energy.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticised India for maintaining the world's highest tariffs and 'obnoxious' trade barriers while continuing to buy Russian military equipment and energy during the Ukraine war.
On Friday, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal defended India's procurement of energy and defence hardware from Russia, saying New Delhi and Moscow have a 'steady and time-tested partnership'.
'India and the US share a comprehensive global strategic partnership anchored in shared interests, democratic values and robust people-to-people ties. This partnership has weathered several transitions and challenges,' Jaiswal said in response to several questions regarding Trump's tariff policy.
Also Read | US sanctions 6 Indian companies for engaging in petroleum trade with Iran
'We remain focused on the substantive agenda that our two countries have committed to and are confident that the relationship will continue to move forward,' he said.
He also pointed to the potential for growing the 'strong defence partnership' with the US and highlighted that India's ties with the US had overcome several challenges and New Delhi is committed to taking the relationship forward.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
5 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP accuses Rahul Gandhi of making ‘immature' comments against Armed Forces
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday stated that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's credibility is at stake, citing the Supreme Court's remarks during the hearing of a criminal defamation case related to his December 2022 comments on Indo-China border tensions. At a press conference, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said: 'Such immature, anti-Army, and demoralising statements made without any evidence or facts, especially when our Army was engaged in the Galwan incident, raise serious questions. Why does Rahul Gandhi make such statements? This is a big question. And it is a question about his credibility.' 'The question arises: Does India deserve a more responsible and better Leader of Opposition? As a Leader of the Opposition, who has taken an oath under the Constitution to safeguard the sovereignty of our country, is he destroying that very sovereignty? ...is he helping the nations which are inimical to our country? Is he demoralising the brave Indian armed forces?' the BJP leader asked. Quoting the Supreme Court's remarks, Mr. Bhatia alleged that this was not the first time Mr. Gandhi had displayed 'such an anti-India' mindset. He referred to another defamation case involving comments by the Congress leader about V.D. Savarkar. 'We all know that the commission-hungry Congress failed to procure Rafale jets for 10 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made sure that the Air Force received these aircraft. Displaying similar immaturity, Rahul Gandhi used inappropriate language for the Prime Minister. Subsequently, the Supreme Court's decision affirmed that the addition of Rafale jets strengthened the Air Force and was in India's national interest,' Mr. Bhatia added.
India.com
5 minutes ago
- India.com
Despite Trump's 25% Tariff, How India Still Beats Pakistan, Bangladesh On Trade Balance
New Delhi: Even as U.S. tariffs on Indian goods climb to 25 percent, the numbers tell a more layered story. Despite the blow, India still holds a stronger position in trade dynamics than some of its closest neighbours. In 2024, Indian products entering the American market faced an average effective tariff of 17.4 percent. That is lower than the 19.9 percent slapped on Bangladeshi goods, the 18.1 percent faced by Pakistan and Sri Lanka's 19.2 percent. These figures come from a recent analysis by Moneycontrol that measured the effective duties levied by the United States on major South Asian exporters. U.S. President Donald Trump, who reimposed tough trade penalties last month, had pointed fingers at India in a strongly worded post on July 30. 'Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world. They have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country… INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST,' he wrote on Truth Social. However, data on what economists call the tariff differential, the gap between what a country pays in U.S. tariffs versus what it charges on American imports, suggests India's trade relationship with Washington remains more balanced than many others in the region. India's tariff differential currently stands at 11.3 percentage points. That is significantly narrower than Bangladesh's 17.2-point gap or Pakistan's 13.6 points. Another regional exporter, Vietnam faces a 13-point spread. Bangladesh's position appears the most lopsided: its exports are hit by the highest U.S. tariffs, but it barely charges American goods in return. Meanwhile, India maintains an average 6.1 percent tariff on U.S. imports, more than Bangladesh but less than others, offering a cushion against the recent spike from Washington. Neighbouring Asian countries such as Thailand and the Philippines fare slightly better in terms of tariff balance, with gaps at 6.4 and 9.8 points respectively. But their trade mix is different, heavily skewed towards electronics and intermediate goods. India's exports to the United States, on the other hand, lean heavily on pharmaceuticals, garments, jewellery and consumer products. These sectors are more vulnerable to tariff hikes. While India's trade ties with Washington remain under strain, the data reflects that it may still be navigating the turbulence more stably than its regional peers.
Time of India
5 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rod Stewart Under Fire for Unsettling A.I. Video of Late Ozzy Osbourne
Trump Breaks Silence On Sydney Sweeney's AE Ad: 'If She's Republican, I Love It...' Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad had already stirred debate over its 'great genes' wordplay, but now, her confirmed Republican voter registration has added a political twist. According to The Guardian, Sweeney registered GOP in Florida just months before Donald Trump returned to the White House. Reacting to the news, Trump praised the actress, saying, 'If she's Republican, her ad is fantastic.' The denim campaign had faced backlash for being tone-deaf and promoting outdated beauty ideals. This isn't Sweeney's first brush with controversy, her 2022 family party photos featuring MAGA hats sparked similar heat. She later asked fans to 'stop making assumptions' about her views. American Eagle has defended the ad, stating it was always about 'her jeans, her story.' Now, with Trump's public support, the cultural divide around Sweeney's image only deepens. 1.8K views | 14 hours ago
