Lindsey Graham Claims India Cut Russian Oil Imports After Trump Tariff Pressure

US Senator Lindsey Graham on Sunday claimed that India has reduced its purchases of Russian oil following tariff pressure imposed by the Trump administration, quoting a private conversation with the Indian ambassador to Washington.

Speaking in the presence of US President Donald Trump, Graham said the Indian envoy had urged him to request tariff relief, arguing that New Delhi was buying less Russian crude. The tariffs were introduced as part of Washington’s effort to pressure countries purchasing discounted Russian oil amid Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

“I was at the Indian ambassador’s house about a month ago and all he wanted to talk about is how they’re buying less Russian oil,” Graham told reporters. “He said, ‘Would you tell the president to relieve the tariff?’ This stuff works.”

Graham said the proposed legislation would give Trump wide authority to impose tariffs ranging from 0% to 500% on countries continuing to import Russian oil. “If you’re buying cheap Russian oil and keeping Putin’s war machine going, we want to make that a hard choice,” he said.

According to Graham, Trump’s pressure on India was “the chief reason” New Delhi was now buying “substantially less” Russian oil.

Currently, Indian exports to the US face a combined tariff rate of 50% in the absence of a bilateral trade deal—25% imposed as reciprocal duties on August 7 and an additional 25% punitive levy added on August 27.

Trump has repeatedly accused India of helping finance Russia’s war by purchasing Russian oil. Responding to Graham’s remarks, Trump said the US could further raise tariffs if India did not further reduce its imports.

“They wanted to make me happy, basically,” Trump told reporters. Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi “a very good man,” Trump added, “He knew I was not happy. We can raise tariffs on them very quickly.”

Trump said his administration expected stronger cooperation from India in curbing Russian oil purchases. India’s Ministry of External Affairs and its embassy in Washington have not commented on the remarks.

New Delhi has consistently maintained that its energy policy is guided by the need to ensure stable prices and secure supplies.

In November, Trump said the US would reduce tariffs on India “at some point,” claiming that New Delhi had already cut Russian oil imports. However, The Hindu reported on Sunday that India’s Russian oil imports reached a six-month high in November, even as purchases from the US rose to a seven-month high during the same period.

Opposition Reacts

The Congress party accused the Centre of “silent submission” to US pressure, questioning whether India’s foreign policy was being dictated by Washington.

“Why should the nation pay the price for Modi’s weakness?” the party asked, demanding clarity on whether Russian oil imports were reduced to “appease Trump.”

Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj described the remarks by Trump and Graham as a “national shame,” alleging that the US was “bragging about arm-twisting India.”