Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a strong nationalist message over the weekend, urging Indians to support local industries and signaling no immediate plans to halt Russian oil imports — despite escalating pressure and tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
As reported by Bloomberg, Modi’s government has not instructed Indian refiners — either public or private — to stop buying crude from Russia, even as the White House intensifies scrutiny of India’s trade ties with Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“The world economy is going through many apprehensions — there is an atmosphere of instability,” Modi said during a rally in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. “Now, whatever we buy, there should be only one scale: we will buy those things which have been made by the sweat of an Indian.”
Modi’s comments come just days after the Trump administration slapped a 25% tariff on Indian exports and warned of further action if India continues to finance Russian war efforts through oil purchases. India has become the largest buyer of Russian seaborne crude, now accounting for roughly a third of its oil imports, taking advantage of deep discounts since the invasion of Ukraine.
According to Bloomberg sources familiar with the matter, discussions among refiners around sourcing non-Russian crude have occurred, but are part of contingency planning rather than a formal policy shift.
Meanwhile, Trump — in an apparent pivot from the strategic tolerance of previous U.S. administrations — has lashed out at India for its close ties to Russia and its role in the BRICS economic bloc. “They can take their dead economies down together,” Trump said last week, sharply rebuking India and undermining years of U.S. diplomatic efforts to court New Delhi as a counterweight to China.
Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, intensified the rhetoric on Sunday, accusing India of levying “massive” tariffs on U.S. goods and abusing the U.S. immigration system. “President Trump wants a tremendous relationship with India,” Miller said, “but we need to get real about financing this war.”
Despite the tensions, Modi’s administration is standing firm. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized India’s independent foreign policy, stating, “Our bilateral relationships with various countries stand on their own merit and should not be seen from the prism of a third country.” He added that the India-U.S. relationship remains on track, with trade negotiators expected in New Delhi later this month to resume bilateral talks.
India has made it clear, however, that certain sectors — particularly agriculture and dairy — remain off-limits in any deal due to domestic political and religious sensitivities.
The current tensions have reinvigorated Modi’s “Make in India” campaign, as he rallies the country behind homegrown industries. “The interests of our farmers, our small industries, and the employment of our youth are of paramount importance,” he told supporters.
Trump’s options for pressuring China, the other major backer of Russia, are more limited due to the U.S. dependence on Chinese rare-earth materials crucial for high-tech manufacturing. As a result, India has emerged as a more feasible target in Trump’s bid to isolate Russia economically.
