India close partner of U.S., but Trump imposed additional tariff for purchasing Russian oil: Rubio

India is a really shut companion of the U.S., however President Donald Trump has imposed extra tariffs on New Delhi for its purchases of Russian oil as a part of actions taken in opposition to President Vladimir Putin for the Ukraine warfare, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Tuesday (September 23, 2025).

He made the remarks in an interview with Good Morning America whereas responding to a query that Mr. Trump has “repeatedly threatened” to take motion in opposition to Mr. Putin however backed off these threats, and the way way more time is Mr. Trump going to provide the Russian chief, who has intensified his assaults on Ukraine.

“Effectively, I feel he has taken motion. So, for instance, we have imposed extra tariffs on India — they usually’re a really shut companion of ours — and we had conferences with them once more yesterday, and it has to do with their buy of Russian oil,” Rubio stated.

When it was identified that Mr. Trump has not taken any direct motion on Russia, Mr. Rubio referred to the invoice by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, which “was about tariffs on India and China for the acquisition of oil and fuel from Russia”.

“I feel the President has additionally known as on Europe to step as much as the plate. There are international locations in Europe which might be nonetheless shopping for large quantities of pure fuel and oil from Russia, in essence, instantly fueling the warfare effort. The President has additionally instructed us, and we’ve made quite a lot of progress engaged on safety ensures,” the Secretary of State stated.

He added that shortly after the Alaska summit between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin, European leaders had come to Washington.

“We agreed to work on safety ensures for the way forward for Ukraine after the tip of this battle. We have made an amazing quantity of progress in creating the outlines for that, and that’s going to be important in any negotiated finish to the warfare,” Rubio stated.

Mr. Rubio had met Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New York on Monday morning on the sidelines of the eightieth session of the United Nations Normal Meeting high-level week.

In a publish on X, Mr. Jaishankar had stated it was “good to fulfill” Rubio in New York.

“Our dialog coated a variety of bilateral and worldwide problems with present concern. Agreed on the significance of sustained engagement to progress on precedence areas. We are going to stay in contact,” Mr. Jaishankar had stated.

‘Relationship of essential significance’

After the assembly, the U.S. stated that India is a relationship of essential significance to america and voiced “appreciation” for the Indian authorities’s continued engagement on bilateral points, together with commerce, defence and power.

Mr. Rubio, reiterating that “India is a relationship of essential significance to america, expressed his appreciation for the Indian authorities’s continued engagement on numerous points, together with commerce, defence, power, prescribed drugs, essential minerals, and different gadgets associated to the bilateral relationship,” a readout of the assembly supplied by the State Division had stated.

Mr. Rubio and Mr. Jaishankar agreed that america and India will proceed working collectively to advertise a free and open Indo-Pacific area, together with by way of the Quad, the assertion added.

The assembly, which lasted for about an hour, was the primary in-person assembly between Mr. Rubio and Mr. Jaishankar amid tensions between the 2 international locations over the previous few months on commerce, tariffs and Delhi’s purchases of Russian power.

The Trump administration imposed a further 25% tariff on Delhi as a penalty for its purchases of Russian oil, taking the entire levies imposed on India by the US to 50%, among the many highest on the planet.

Simply days earlier than the assembly, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a staggering $100,000 charge on new H-1B visas. The announcement triggered widespread concern and panic amongst Indian professionals, together with these from the IT and medical fields, who’re the most important beneficiaries of the H1B skilled-worker program.

Mr. Rubio and Mr. Jaishankar had final held bilateral discussions in July in Washington DC on the sidelines of the Quad Overseas Ministers’ Assembly.

Peace initiatives

In a separate interview with Fox and Pals, Mr. Rubio stated Mr. Trump has put extra time and power into peace proposals and peace initiatives than anyone else on the planet, and he has had essentially the most success of anyone else on the planet.

“He doesn’t get quite a lot of credit score, however let’s not overlook the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda had a warfare occurring; it is the President that brokered that. Azerbaijan and Armenia, it is the President who introduced that about.

“Thailand and Cambodia — it is the President that introduced the tip to that about. India and Pakistan. That is simply 4 proper off the highest of my head in the previous few months. And the President is the one who did that, not some other chief on the planet and never the UN,” Mr. Rubio stated.

Printed – September 24, 2025 08:39 am IST