Washington, January 8, 2026: US President Donald Trump has revealed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unhappy with him due to steep American tariffs imposed on India, primarily linked to New Delhi’s purchases of discounted Russian oil amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Speaking at the House GOP Members Retreat on Tuesday, Trump highlighted his strong personal rapport with Modi while acknowledging the trade tensions. He recounted a meeting where Modi reportedly said, “Sir, may I see you please?” Trump emphasised, “I have a very good relationship with him. But he’s not that happy with me because, you know, they’re paying a lot of tariffs now.”
Trump noted that India has significantly reduced its Russian oil imports in response to the pressure, adding, “Nevertheless, they have reduced it very substantially — buying oil from Russia.” He also referenced India’s order of 68 Apache helicopters, claiming delays in delivery under previous administrations and promising improvements.
Defending his broader tariff strategy, Trump mocked French President Emmanuel Macron for similar pleas on drug pricing and touted successes against China with a 25% tariff on fentanyl-related goods. He claimed tariffs would bring over $650 billion in revenue to the US, helping correct trade deficits.
The remarks underscore ongoing strains in India-US trade relations despite robust military ties, including defence deals like the Apache helicopters. Analysts see this as part of Trump’s aggressive “America First” approach to balance global trade and isolate Russia economically.
[…] Washington D.C., USA : In a decisive move to intensify sanctions against Russia, former President Donald Trump has given his approval to a hard-hitting bipartisan bill that directly targets Moscow’s trade partners, including India, China, and Brazil. The proposed legislation, known as the Graham-Blumenthal sanctions bill, authorizes the US President to levy tariffs up to 500% on countries that knowingly purchase Russian oil or uranium, a measure explicitly designed to “punish countries who buy cheap Russian oil fueling Putin’s war machine.” […]