Republican leader Nikki Haley on Tuesday criticised US President Donald Trump for threatening to impose steep tariffs on Indian goods. Haley warned that such a move could damage a crucial strategic partnership. She took to X to caution President Trump against alienating India at a time when Washington is offering tariff leniency to China. “India should not be buying oil from Russia. But China, an adversary and the number one buyer of Russian and Iranian oil, got a 90-day tariff pause,” she wrote.
She further wrote, “Don’t give China a pass and burn a relationship with a strong ally like India.” Her remarks come in response to Trump’s latest warning that he intends to “very substantially” raise tariffs on Indian goods within 24 hours. Trump has accused India of profiting from cheap Russian crude despite the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
India should not be buying oil from Russia. But China, an adversary and the number one buyer of Russian and Iranian oil, got a 90-day tariff pause. Don’t give China a pass and burn a relationship with a strong ally like India.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) August 5, 2025
Speaking to CNBC, Trump claimed the US does “little business with India” while India does “a lot of business with us”. On his platform Truth Social, he alleged India was reselling Russian oil for profit.
India’s response to Trump’s tariff threats
After repeated tariff and sanctions threats from Trump, India responded firmly on Tuesday. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed Trump’s comments as “politically motivated” and “unjustified”. It said that India’s crude purchases from Russia were a strategic decision made after Western suppliers redirected shipments to Europe.
“The United States at that time actively encouraged such imports by India to help stabilise global energy markets,” the MEA noted.
Russia on US putting pressure on India
The Kremlin also lashed out at the United States for what it called “illegal” attempts to pressure India over its continued purchase of Russian oil. “We’re hearing a lot of statements that are essentially threats — efforts to strong-arm countries into cutting trade ties with Russia,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. “We do not consider such statements to be lawful,” he added.
Peskov further said that every sovereign nation has the right to define its own trade relationships based on national interest.