Washington: The White House has reiterated that U.S. President Donald Trump considers relations with India extremely important. In a press briefing on Tuesday (local time), White House Press Secretary
Karoline Leavitt described the India-U.S. partnership as a relationship that Trump is 'deeply serious and enthusiastic about,' despite ongoing tensions over trade tariffs and India’s crude oil imports from Russia.
Levitt said, 'The President is very positive about India-U.S. relations and holds a strong personal connection to this partnership.' She added that a few weeks ago, Trump celebrated Diwali at the Oval Office with several Indian-American officials and spoke directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The press secretary also praised U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, calling him an exceptional envoy, and confirmed that Trump’s trade team is engaged in 'serious discussions' with New Delhi to resolve existing differences.
Trump Praises India’s Reduction in Russian Oil Imports
Leavitt’s remarks come days after Trump claimed that India had significantly reduced its imports of Russian crude oil. During his recent Asia tour, Trump lauded India, saying, 'New Delhi is doing a great job on this issue.' This was one of several statements made by Trump since mid-October, asserting that Prime Minister Modi assured him that India would soon cut down or halt crude oil imports from Russia altogether.
India Responds: Energy Policy Driven by National Interest
Reacting to Trump’s comments, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that the country’s energy decisions are based entirely on national interest and consumer needs. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, 'India is a major importer of oil and gas. Our priority is to safeguard the interests of Indian citizens amid a volatile energy market.' He added that India’s energy policy focuses on maintaining price stability and supply security by purchasing oil from diverse sources to avoid overdependence on any single country.
Tariff Dispute Strains Bilateral Ties
Relations between the two nations soured in August when the U.S. imposed heavy trade tariffs on India, including a 50 percent duty and an additional 25 percent secondary levy on imports, citing India’s continued oil purchases from Russia. India condemned the move as 'unfair and baseless,' while Trump described bilateral trade as 'completely one-sided and unbalanced.'
