Trump’s Casual ‘Yeah’ Hints at Fresh Tariff Pressure on India Amid Russia Sanctions

International News: On Sunday, US President Donald Trump indicated that he is ready to impose a second round of sanctions on Russia. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he briefly said, "Yeah, I'm ready." Although he did not give any further details, statements by US officials a few hours earlier indicate that the US is working on a plan to increase economic pressure on Russia and its oil buyer countries, prominent among them being India.

Statement of Treasury Secretary

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant said that additional sanctions on countries buying oil from Russia are necessary to have a serious impact on Russia's economy and force President Vladimir Putin to negotiate. Bessant told NBC, "If the US and the European Union together impose secondary tariffs on countries buying Russia's oil, then Russia's economy will be in crisis and Putin will be ready for negotiations."

Impact on India

India has remained the main target of US criticism in this case. The US has imposed a 25% “penal” tariff on India, making the total import duty on most Indian products 50%. India has consistently made it clear that it is buying oil from Russia only for its national energy security, and this action is unfair from the US point of view.

US objective

US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, say that it is necessary to stop Russia's income from oil and gas. They called it the Trump administration's way of saying that only Russia's economic weakness can force Putin to negotiate. The US also recently dubbed this dispute "Modi's war," while Trump accused India of supporting Russia's war machine.

The severity of the war

Meanwhile, Russia on Sunday targeted government complexes in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, in its biggest airstrike. The attack killed many people and has increased the gravity of the war.

The Trump administration's new sanctions and potential tariffs could impact oil buyer countries, including India. The move has the potential to impact the global energy market and international political balance, while India faces a situation to maintain its national energy security.