US Senator Lindsey Graham said India sought relief from a 25 per cent US tariff by highlighting reduced Russian oil purchases, as trade tensions with President Donald Trump continue.
India’s trade and energy choices have come under fresh scrutiny in
Washington, with a senior US senator linking New Delhi’s reduced Russian oil purchases to ongoing tariff negotiations.
US Senator Lindsey Graham said India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, sought tariff relief from Washington after underlining that India was buying less Russian oil. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One alongside US President Donald Trump, Graham said the issue was raised during a meeting at the Indian Ambassador’s residence last month.
According to Graham, the discussion focused entirely on India cutting back its Russian oil imports. He said Kwatra requested that this message be conveyed to President Trump and asked for relief from the 25 per cent tariff imposed on Indian goods.
“I was at the Indian Ambassador’s house a month ago, and all he wanted to talk about was how India is buying less Russian oil. And he asked me to tell the President to relieve the 25% tariff.” Graham said, with Trump standing by his side.
“I believe what President Trump did by tariffing India is the chief reason India is buying substantially less Russian oil,” he further added.
Trump warns of further tariffs
The remarks come as trade tensions escalate, with President Trump warning India of additional tariffs over its continued imports of Russian oil. Trump said
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of his dissatisfaction and stressed that tariffs could be raised swiftly if concerns were not addressed.
“PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” Trump said.
Trump’s warning comes amid growing scrutiny in Washington over India’s energy trade with Russia, even as New Delhi has defended its oil purchases as essential for domestic energy security.
The comments also follow a recent telephonic conversation between Trump and Prime Minister Modi, during which both leaders stressed the importance of maintaining momentum in bilateral trade ties despite ongoing tariff-related tensions.
The issue has gained further prominence after US military action against Venezuela, a country with the world’s largest proven oil reserves at over 303 billion barrels. Despite these reserves, Venezuela’s oil production has fallen sharply to around one million barrels per day due to US sanctions and underinvestment.
Meanwhile, the Indian National Congress reacted sharply to Graham’s remarks. In a social media post on X, it said, “This statement makes it clear that to please Donald Trump, Narendra Modi has stopped buying oil from our long-standing friend Russia. Why is Modi harming the country just to maintain his own PR and keep Trump happy?”
मैं एक महीने पहले भारतीय राजदूत के घर पर था और वह सिर्फ इस बारे में बात करना चाहते थे कि भारत कैसे कम रूसी तेल खरीद रहा है।
वो चाहते थे कि मैं राष्ट्रपति ट्रंप को ये बात बताऊं और कहूं कि अब भारत को टैरिफ में कुछ छूट दी जाए।
– अमेरिकी सीनेटर लिंडसे ग्राहम
इस बयान से साफ है कि… pic.twitter.com/rZvtdGMoX5
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 5, 2026
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