Donald Trump, the president of the United States, is erratic. He applies arbitrary tariffs at times and discusses trade agreements with India at other times. His position on buying oil from Russia has been very severe. India's purchase of Russian oil has resulted in an additional 25% tariff. He has now threatened to slap a 500% tariff on nations that purchase Russian oil and engage in trade with Russia.

Key Highlights

• Trump threatens massive 500% tariffs on Russian oil buyers, escalating pressure on nations continuing such imports.
• India faces potentially huge economic losses if U.S. enforces extreme tariff measures targeting Russian crude purchases.

Prior to the Russian President's visit to New Delhi, Trump's annoyance is starting to show. It is anticipated that he would cover everything from trade to oil during his meeting with PM Modi. 

India will be directly impacted by Trump's announcement because it is Russia's second-largest oil consumer. It wouldn't be incorrect to claim that Trump has publicly warned India not to buy Russian oil.

500% Russian Oil Tariff

Many nations, including India, are once again concerned about US President Donald Trump. He added that he supports legislation that might impose hefty sanctions or tariffs of up to 500% on countries trading with Russia. He threatened to impose 500% tariffs and sanctions on any nation doing business with Russia.

Why is Donald Trump furious?

A 500% levy on companies doing business with Russia has been mentioned by Donald Trump. He even said that Iran might be on this list. Trump intends to harm Russia's economy in order to avert war with Ukraine. He has so turned tariffs into a weapon. He has declared his support for legislation that would subject any nation that continues to deal with Russia to harsh penalties or tariffs of up to 500%. Actually, Republican lawmakers are drafting legislation that would subject nations that trade with Russia to harsh sanctions or tariffs.

Also Read: Trade Tensions Ease as US Signals Improvement in Bilateral Ties

India in the crosshairs

Russia and India, who both buy a lot of oil from Russia, will be most affected by these Trump initiatives. India is the second-biggest energy consumer from Russia. India bought oil from Russia in October 2025 for around Rs28,000 crore. However, Indian refineries are pulling away from buying Russian oil due to pressure from the United States. Two of Russia's biggest oil corporations were previously subject to sanctions from the US. They are now threatening to impose a 500% tariff.