International
-Gaurav Sharma
US
President
Donald
Trump
claimed
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
is
upset
with
recent
US
tariff
moves
linked
to
Russian
oil,
even
while
stressing
that
the
personal
equation
between
both
leaders
stays
positive.
The
comments
again
put
India’s
energy
choices
and
trade
ties
with
Washington
under
scrutiny,
especially
for
younger
Indians
tracking
how
foreign
policy
connects
with
prices
and
jobs.
Trump
said
he
and
the
Indian
leader
still
share
friendly
terms,
but
suggested
New
Delhi
is
bearing
the
cost
of
policy
differences
on
crude
imports.
“I
have
a
very
good
relationship
with
PM
Modi,
but
he
is
not
happy
with
me
as
India
is
paying
high
tariffs
due
to
its
purchase
of
Russian
oil,” Donald
Trump
said.
Former
US
President
Donald
Trump
stated
that
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
is
unhappy
about
US
tariffs
related
to
Russian
oil
imports,
while
maintaining
their
positive
personal
relationship;
he
suggested
India
is
facing
high
tariffs
due
to
its
purchases
of
Russian
oil.
US
tariffs,
Indian
trade
talks,
and
Russian
oil
Trump’s
remarks
followed
a
fresh
warning
that
tariffs
on
Indian
exports
could
climb
further
if
Washington’s
worries
over
Russian
oil
imports
remain
unresolved.
Trump
indicated
that
the
US
has
room
to
act
fast
on
trade
duties,
hinting
that
pressure
on
India
may
not
ease
soon
without
concrete
changes
in
energy
policy.
Earlier,
Trump
described
how
New
Delhi
reacted
to
US
unease
about
those
imports,
praising
Modi
personally
while
keeping
his
tough
line
on
tariffs.
“They
wanted
to
make
me
happy,
basically.
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,”
Donald
Trump
said
earlier,
adding,
“They
do
trade,
and
we
can
raise
tariffs
on
them
very
quickly.”
India’s
energy
stand
and
Russian
oil
strategy
India
has
repeatedly
defended
its
decision
to
keep
buying
Russian
oil,
saying
energy
policy
is
driven
by
national
interest.
Officials
argue
that
stable
and
affordable
fuel
remains
crucial
for
India’s
growth,
and
that
citizens
need
access
to
cheaper
crude,
especially
when
global
prices
stay
volatile
after
the
Ukraine
conflict.
New
Delhi
has
also
underlined
that
it
will
keep
working
with
all
global
partners
while
protecting
strategic
and
economic
priorities.
That
position
includes
continuing
talks
with
Washington
on
a
possible
trade
agreement.
However,
those
negotiations
have
moved
unevenly,
as
the
US
seeks
a
smaller
trade
deficit
and
India
defends
its
space
on
energy
choices.
The
US
raised
import
duties
on
a
range
of
Indian
products
last
year,
doubling
some
tariffs
to
50
per
cent,
and
pointed
directly
to
large
Russian
crude
purchases
as
a
reason.
At
the
same
time,
India
turned
into
the
biggest
buyer
of
discounted
Russian
seaborne
oil
after
the
Ukraine
war
began
in
2022,
drawing
criticism
from
Washington,
which
wants
to
limit
Moscow’s
energy
income.
Oil
has
again
become
central
to
global
politics
beyond
the
India-US
debate
over
Russian
oil.
A
recent
US
strike
on
Venezuela
pushed
attention
back
to
energy
security
and
fragile
supply
chains.
Venezuela
has
the
world’s
largest
proven
oil
reserves
at
more
than
300
billion
barrels,
about
17
per
cent
of
global
reserves,
according
to
OPEC,
but
output
has
plunged
to
nearly
1
million
barrels
daily
after
years
of
sanctions
and
weak
investment.
