What happened
President Donald Trump Monday said he would "substantially" raise tariffs on India for "buying massive amounts of Russian oil" and "selling it on the open market for big profits," elaborating on his threat last week to impose a penalty on top of a 25% tax for Indian imports. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine," he said on social media Monday.
Who said what
India's foreign ministry called Trump's "targeting" of the country "unjustified and unreasonable," and said New Delhi would "take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security." China, the other top buyer of Moscow's oil, last week also rejected Trump's tariffs-linked demand to cut back on Russian imports.
Despite India's "defiance," its "main refiners paused buying Russian oil last week," Reuters said. But the "unpredictability of the Trump administration" makes negotiating difficult. "Given the wild fluctuations in Trump's policies," the U.S. "may return to high fives and hugs" with India, or even Russia, Sreeram Chaulia of New Delhi's Jindal School of International Affairs told The Associated Press.
What next?
Trump's oil outbursts "reflect his frustration with the pace of trade talks with India" and are mostly about "trying to play hardball in negotiations," the AP said, citing a White House official. Trump has also set a Friday deadline for Russia to halt its bombing of Ukraine or face new sanctions, though President Vladimir Putin has so far "shown no public sign of altering his stance," Reuters said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Pakistan: Trump’s ‘favourite field marshal’ takes chargeIn the Spotlight Asim Munir’s control over all three branches of Pakistan’s military gives him ‘sweeping powers’ – and almost unlimited freedom to use them
-
Codeword: December 6, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
-
Sudoku hard: December 6, 2025The daily hard sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
‘These accounts clearly are designed as a capitalist alternative’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Is a Putin-Modi love-in a worry for the West?Today’s Big Question The Indian leader is walking a ‘tightrope’ between Russia and the United States
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
