US President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could raise tariffs on Indian goods “very quickly” if New Delhi’s trade and energy decisions do not align with US expectations, according to an audio
released by the White House.
In the audio, Trump linked India’s approach to Russian oil purchases directly to his personal displeasure, while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“They wanted to make me happy, basically,” Trump said.
Referring to PM Modi, he added, “Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. And it was important to make me happy.”
Trump explicitly warned of the trade consequences India could face, saying, “They do trade. And we can raise tariffs on them very quickly, and it would be very bad for them.”
He also commented on broader economic conditions, adding, “The Russian economy is lousy. But what’s really lousy is the Venezuelan economy. The Venezuelan economy is, I think, the worst economy I’ve ever seen.”
#WATCH | On India’s Russian oil imports, US President Donald J Trump says, “… They wanted to make me happy, basically… PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very… pic.twitter.com/ANNdO36CZI
— ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2026
Trump’s remarks come as India recalibrates its oil import reporting amid ongoing negotiations with Washington.
According to a January 2 Reuters report, New Delhi has asked refiners to submit weekly disclosures of Russian and US oil purchases, with officials saying the move is aimed at ensuring “timely and accurate data” that can be shared with the United States when requested.
The United States last year doubled import tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent as punishment for India’s heavy buying of Russian oil.
Five industry and government sources told Reuters that the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) is seeking weekly data at the request of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office.
“We want timely and accurate data on Russian and US oil imports so that, when the US asks for information, we can provide verified figures instead of them relying on secondary sources,” one government official said, according to Reuters.
The sources said the data is not expected to be made public.
Russian oil imports had already fallen to about 1.2 million bpd in December, a three-year low, amid tighter US and European Union sanctions, according to sources and analytics firm Kpler.
A separate December 17 Reuters report said India’s Russian oil imports were still poised to top 1 million bpd in December, defying expectations of a sharp decline, as refiners resumed buying from non-sanctioned entities offering deep discounts.
Despite the pressure, New Delhi has publicly argued that Russian oil remains vital to India’s energy security, even as Trump continues to signal that tariffs remain a key lever in US trade policy.
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