Trump aide accuses India of backing Russia financially through oil trade
(MENAFN) Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has accused India of “effectively” financing Russia’s war in Ukraine through its continued purchase of Russian oil, in comments made Sunday on a news agency.
Speaking in support of recent U.S. measures targeting New Delhi, Miller defended President Donald Trump’s imposition of 25% tariffs on Indian imports and hinted at additional penalties linked to India’s defense and trade ties with Moscow.
“What he [Trump] said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing oil from Russia,” Miller said. “People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That's an astonishing fact.”
Trump had criticized India earlier in the week on his Truth Social platform, calling its economic ties with Russia a concern and labeling Indian tariffs on U.S. goods “among the highest in the world.”
“I don’t care what India does with Russia,” Trump wrote. “They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”
The Trump administration is reportedly weighing even harsher measures, including 100% tariffs on exports from countries buying Russian energy, unless Moscow agrees to a significant peace deal in Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also joined in the criticism last week, calling India's oil trade with Russia a “point of irritation” in U.S.-India relations. In interview, Rubio claimed India’s purchases were “helping to sustain the Russian war effort.”
Despite mounting Western pressure, New Delhi has repeatedly defended its energy strategy, arguing that increased Russian oil imports have helped to stabilize global oil markets and prevent dramatic price spikes.
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