US President Donald Trump has once again taken a tough stand on India. He has said that due to India buying oil from Russia, he can “largely” the tariff (fee) on India in the next 24 hours “. This statement comes at a time when the presidential elections in America are close and Trump is adopting aggressive attitude towards foreign policy.
Trump said this during an election meeting, where he targeted both China and India. He said, “India is buying cheap oil from Russia and exporting it in the US market without any major interruption. This is injustice. We will make America great again, and we have to take strict decisions for this. In the next 24 hours we can make a huge increase in tariffs on India.”
After Trump’s statement, there has been a stir in political and economic circles. India has increased oil purchases from Russia over the years, especially since Western countries have banned Russia due to Ukraine War. India has always argued that it has the right to make decisions independently according to its energy needs.
Indian experts are looking at Trump’s warning with domestic politics in America. Former ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar says, “Trump’s statement may be part of the electoral strategy. He wants to show that he is able to take strict decisions for the interests of America. India does not need to panic at the moment, but will have to be cautious.”
Although no official response has been received by the Government of India yet, discussions have intensified in diplomatic corridors. If the US really increases tariffs, it can affect India’s exports, especially textile, James and Jewelery and IT services.
This development has once again revealed the role of oil in global politics and the complexity of Indo-US relations.
Donald Trump, India, Tariff, Oil Purchase from Russia, America, Election, Foreign Policy, Trump’s statement, Indo-US relations, global politics