NEW DELHI, Oct 20: Even after New Delhi refuted the claim, the United States President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would halt buying oil from Russia while issuing a threat that India would be made to pay “massive tariffs” if it continued to buy Russian oil.
Speaking to reporters on-board Air Force One, Mr Trump said India would “continue to pay massive tariffs” if they do not cease buying oil from Russia, adding that “they (India) don’t want to do that.” Mr Trump was replying to a question about India’s recent remarks on oil purchases from Russia.
India last week had insisted that it was “broad-basing and diversifying” its sourcing of energy to meet market conditions, hours after Mr Trump claimed on Mr Modi having assured him that India would stop procuring oil from Russia.
Mr Trump said he did not believe that India had contradicted his claim. “But I don’t believe they said No, I spoke with Prime Minister Modi of India, and he said he’s not going to be doing the Russian oil thing,” the U.S. President added. Washington has been maintaining that India was helping Putin to finance the war through its purchase of Russian crude oil.
The relations between New Delhi and Washington have been reeling under severe stress after Mr Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25% additional duty for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil. India described the US action as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”
The Russian ambassador in India had supported India’s stand on energy resources. “Russian crude oil remains the most cost effective option on the global market and Russia’s energy ties with India are in tune with New Delhi’s national interests,” Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov had said on Thursday.
Mr Alipov’s remarks had come hours after Mr Trump had claimed about Mr Modi’s “assurance” in stopping to buy Russian oil. Mr Alipov had also claimed that Russian crude oil accounted for around one-third of India’s total hydrocarbon imports.
The Russian Ambassador also described Russia as India’s “most reliable energy partner” and said there was scope for enhancing the overall ties, including in areas of defence, trade, connectivity and technology. Mr Alipov had said the India-Russia strategic partnership was a “stabilising force” in global affairs and a powerful driver of economic growth.” “This kind of relationship is in increasing demand worldwide as we collectively navigate an era of unprecedented geopolitical turbulence,” he said.
(Manas Dasgupta)