PM Modi ‘not that happy with me’ because they are paying a lot of tariffs: Trump

Trump also said that India told him it has been waiting for five years for the Apache helmets.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “not that happy with me” due to the tariffs imposed by Washington on Delhi for its purchases of Russian oil.

Mr. Trump, delivering remarks at the House GOP Member Retreat, also claimed that

“Prime Minister Modi came to see me, ‘Sir, may I see you please’. Yes.” He’s not that happy with me because you know they’re paying a lot of tariffs now because they’re not doing the oil, but they are, they’ve now reduced it very substantially, as you know, from Russia,” Mr. Trump said.

Mr. Trump has imposed 50 percent tariffs on India, including 25 percent for its purchases of Russian oil. Mr. Trump also said that India told him it has been waiting for five years for the Apache helicopters.

We’re changing it. We’re changing it. India ordered 68 Apaches,” he said.

US President Donald Trump has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “not that happy” with him because of the tariffs Washington has imposed on India over its purchases of Russian oil, linking trade pressure directly to New Delhi’s energy ties with Moscow.
Speaking at the House GOP Member Retreat, Trump referred to his interactions with the Indian leader while discussing US defense sales and tariffs.

Donald Trump has reaffirmed his tariff threat against India. The context is Russian oil. The fresh comments are as hypocritical as the additiona l tariffs were. Nations such as China do not face any such penalties. Trump’s attitude to the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict itself is also whimsical, perhaps even ambivalent. His approach to the rest of the world, as the latest US intervention in Venezuela shows, is reminiscent of the Wild West, not the hegemon of a rules-based global order.

Washington:

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday reaffirmed his good relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi; however, he underestimated PM Modi’s unhappiness over the high tariffs imposed on India for purchasing Russian oil.

At the House GOP Members Retreat, US President Donald Trump discussed his exchanges with PM Modi regarding US defense sales and tariff measures. He suggested that although relations remain cordial, the tariff issue has created tension.

“…I have a very good relationship with PM Modi, but he is not happy with me, as India is paying high tariffs. But now they have reduced it very substantially, buying oil from Russia,” Donald Trump said.

The tariffs, totaling 50%, were imposed due to India’s significant purchases of Russian oil, which the US views as supporting Russia’s economy amid the Ukraine conflict.

Trump’s comments came a day after he warned that Washington could further raise tariffs on Indian goods if New Delhi does not address US concerns over Russian oil imports.

They wanted to make me happy, basically. Modi is a very good man; He is a good guy. He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy,” he said.

Trump also defended the tariff policy during his address, claiming that the United States was benefiting financially from the measures.

Trump’s comments follow a series of warnings to New Delhi over its ongoing energy trade with Moscow. Earlier, he warned that the US could raise tariffs further if India does not “help on the Russian oil issue,” directly linking the pressure to the Russia-Ukraine war.

He has accused India of strengthening Moscow by purchasing discounted Russian crude and has cited this as the basis for sharply higher duties on Indian goods. Trump has also used tariff pressure to influence India’s actions, suggesting that New Delhi was aware of his dissatisfaction and sought to maintain stable trade relations.

At the same time, US President Donald Trump has positioned himself as a potential mediator in the Russia–Ukraine conflict, holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, although without any concrete breakthrough.

India has earlier rejected Trump’s assertion that PM Narendra Modi had assured him that New Delhi would stop purchasing Russian oil, clarifying that no such conversation or assurance had taken place.

The issue of steep US tariffs on Indian goods has once again hogged the headlines over the past few days with US President Donald Trump making range of comments– from fresh warning of steeper tariffs to implying his good ties with India and its willingness to reduce trade with Russia in order to avoid tariffs from the US.

Trump’s latest remark over the India-US trade row came on Tuesday when he said, “I have a very good relationship with him (PM Modi). He’s not that happy with me because they’re paying a lot of tariffs now. But now they have reduced it very substantially, buying oil from Russia.”

He made the remarks reportedly at a House GOP Member Retreat in Washington DC on Tuesday.

The US has imposed staggering tariffs of up to 50% on Indian goods over India’s significant purchases of Russian oil — a move Washington views as indirectly supporting Russia’s economy amid the Ukraine conflict.

Trump’s tariff comments followed his claim that India had reached out to him over delays in the delivery of Apache helicopters. Recalling his conversation with Prime Minister Modi, Trump said, “Prime Minister Modi came to see me — ‘Sir, may I see you please?’ Yes.”

“We’re changing it. We’re changing it. India ordered 68 Apaches,” he said.

Warning’ of another round of tariffs
Previously, Trump warned that Washington could further raise tariffs on Indian goods if New Delhi does not address US concerns over Russian oil imports.

“Modi is a very good guy and he knew I was not happy. And it was important to make me happy. They do trade and we could raise tariffs on them very quickly,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday (local time).

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