Guwahati: US President Donald Trump on Friday admitted that “imposing tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil is not an easy thing to do” as it creates tensions between the two countries.”
During an interview with Fox and Friends he said, “Look, India was their biggest customer. I put a 50 per cent tariff on India because they’re buying oil from Russia. That’s not an easy thing to do. That’s a big deal, and it causes a rift with India.”
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And he added, “But I’ve already done it. I’ve done a lot.”
“And remember this is a Europe problem much more than our problem.”
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And repeating his claim of ending several wars, he added, “I have solved seven wars. I did so many, including Pakistan and India, but big ones, some were unsolvable, Congo and Rwanda. I solved it. It was going on for 31 years, millions of people killed. I solve wars that was unsolvable.”
Earlier Trump’s nominee for the next US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, had pointed out that the US administration “wants India, with its massive middle-class market larger than that of the US, to buy American crude and oil products, adding that the ongoing trade talks are aimed in that direction.”
The deteriorating relations between India and the United States have apparently pushed New Delhi closer towards China and Russia.
The signs of camaraderie among Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the recently-concluded SCO Summit sent signals of a fresh alliance emerging much to the chagrin of the US.
However, Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday had described India and the United States as “natural partners” and welcomed US President Donald Trump’s recent conciliatory remarks, which referred to Modi as a “dear friend” and suggested progress in long-stalled trade discussions.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi emphasized the strength of the bilateral relationship and expressed hope for a breakthrough in trade negotiations. “India and the US are close friends and natural partners,” he wrote. “I am confident our trade negotiations will unlock the immense potential of the India-US partnership. Our teams are working hard to conclude the discussions swiftly.”
Trump had earlier taken to Truth Social to comment on ongoing trade talks, expressing confidence in a positive outcome. “I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our great countries!” he said.
He later re-shared Modi’s post on his platform, further underscoring the goodwill between the two leaders.
Modi responded by expressing his eagerness to speak with Trump soon and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing bilateral cooperation.
“We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people,” the Prime Minister added.