"To Make It Harder For Russians": JD Vance On Trump's Tariffs On India
US President Donald Trump's punitive 50 per cent tariffs on imports from India were meant to get an "aggressive economic leverage" for forcing Russia to stop bombing Ukraine, according to American Vice President JD Vance.
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JD Vance stated that tariffs imposed on India were designed to prevent Russians from profiting through their oil economy (File)
Washington:
According to US Vice President JD Vance, President Donald Trump's implementation of 50 percent tariffs on Indian imports was intended to create "aggressive economic leverage" to pressure Russia into ceasing its military operations in Ukraine. Despite potential complications following Trump's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Vance expressed confidence that the United States can still mediate an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"Trump has implemented aggressive economic leverage, including secondary tariffs on India, intended to make it more difficult for Russians to profit from their oil economy," Vance explained during an exclusive interview on NBC News' "Meet the Press".
Showing optimism about America's ability to broker peace between the warring nations, Vance remarked, "We believe significant concessions have already emerged from both parties just within the past few weeks."
"He (Trump) has attempted to communicate clearly that Russia can be reintegrated into the global economy if they stop the violence. However, they will remain isolated if the killing continues," he further stated.
Trump's Indian Tariff Policy
Relations between New Delhi and Washington have worsened since the Trump administration began targeting India regarding its purchase of discounted Russian oil. Notably, Washington has avoided similar criticism of China or European nations, which are the largest importers of Russian oil and gas, respectively.
Earlier this month, Trump announced that the US would raise tariffs on Indian products to 50 percent, including an additional 25 percent duty specifically imposed as a penalty for India's Russian oil purchases.
Washington alleges that India's Russian oil imports are supporting Moscow's military operations in Ukraine, a claim firmly rejected by New Delhi. India maintains that its energy procurement decisions, including those involving Russian suppliers, are based purely on national interests and market considerations.
New Delhi began purchasing discounted Russian oil after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and avoided its energy supplies following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
At a New Delhi event on Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to US criticism regarding the crude oil issue by saying, "It's ironic to have representatives from a pro-business American administration criticizing others for conducting business."
"That's truly peculiar. If there's an issue with purchasing oil or refined products from India, simply don't buy it. Nobody is compelling you to make these purchases. But Europe continues to buy, America continues to buy, so if you disapprove, don't purchase it," Jaishankar stated.