PM Modi not happy with me over high tariffs: Trump acknowledges strain in US–India ties
At the House GOP Member Retreat, Trump said that while he shares a good personal relationship with Modi, trade tensions, particularly over Russian oil, have strained ties. "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," Trump said.
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unhappy with him due to steep American tariffs imposed on Indian goods, while reiterating his good personal relations with PM Modi.
At the House GOP Member Retreat, Trump said that while he shares a good personal relationship with Modi, trade tensions, particularly over Russian oil, have strained ties. "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," Trump said.
Trump praised PM Modi as "a very good man" and "a good guy" but underlined his dissatisfaction on trade, warning that Washington could further raise tariffs if its concerns are not addressed.
Sustained US pressure on India
The remarks came amid sustained US pressure on New Delhi to scale back energy ties with Moscow, as India continues to import large volumes of discounted Russian crude despite Western sanctions linked to the Ukraine war.
The Trump administration raised total tariffs on Indian imports to 50 per cent in August 2025. Of this, 25 per cent were imposed as a penalty for India's purchase of Russian oil, with the remaining portion levied as reciprocal tariffs. Washington has argued that India's oil imports help finance Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.
Trump's remarks 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.
Important to make me happy: Trump
"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.
India has earlier rejected Trump's assertion that PM Narendra Modi had assured him New Delhi would stop purchasing Russian oil, clarifying that no such conversation or assurance had taken place.
Meanwhile, India's crude oil imports from Russia may see a sharp fall in January, with Reliance Industries saying that it does not expect to receive any Russian crude shipments. This could bring down India’s oil imports from Russia to a multi-year low, according to a Reuters report.