United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he has imposed secondary sanctions on India for buying Russian oil and hinted that more measures
could follow. Trump made the remarks during a bilateral meeting at the Oval Office with Polish President Karol Nawrocki. He grew visibly irritated when a Polish reporter suggested he had shown frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin but had taken no action. Also Read: ‘India Kills Us With Tariffs’: Trump Continues Rant on Trade War With New Delhi "How do you know there's no action? Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India, the largest purchaser outside of China, they're almost equal, would you say there was no action? That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia. You call that no action? And I haven't done phase two yet or phase three," Trump shot back. "But when you say there's no action, I think you ought to get yourself a new job." Trump added that he had warned India two weeks earlier, "If India buys, India's got big problems, and that's what happens. So, don't tell me about that."
Asked whether he was considering similar steps against Moscow after Putin appeared with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at China’s military parade, Trump said, "Well, I've already done that with regard to India, and we're doing it with regard to other things."
Trump has imposed 25 percent reciprocal tariffs on India and an additional 25 percent levy on Delhi's purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total duties to 50 percent as of August 27.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he cannot compromise on the interests of farmers, small industries and cattle-rearers, adding, "pressure on us may increase, but we will bear it". India has called the tariffs imposed by the US "unjustified and unreasonable".
