US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the Trump administration may be willing to revise the additional 25% tariffs imposed on India concerning its Russian oil purchases. This statement comes after a meeting with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar in New York.
In an interview with NBC News, Rubio addressed the US measures aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine and expressed optimism about resolving the tariff issue with India. "We have already seen the measures we have taken with regards to India, although that's something we hope we can fix," Rubio stated.
Rubio also voiced his disapproval of European countries for what he perceives as insufficient action regarding sanctions against Russia. He emphasized the need for Europe to increase sanctions, pointing out that many European nations continue to purchase substantial amounts of oil and natural gas from Russia. "I think it's important for Europe to impose sanctions, too. Right now, there are countries in Europe that are still buying massive amounts of oil and natural gas from Russia, which is absurd," he said. He further added, "They're asking for the US to impose more sanctions, but there are countries in Europe that are not doing enough. So, I think they need to do more".
Rubio kept the possibility of additional sanctions on Russia open. "At some point, he [Trump] may have to decide to impose new sanctions. The President has the ability to do more, and he's considering doing more because of the direction this has taken," he noted.
The meeting between Rubio and Jaishankar took place on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly session in New York. This was their first face-to-face meeting since tensions arose over trade tariffs and India's energy ties with Russia. Following their discussions, Rubio emphasized India's "critical" value to the United States and welcomed the ongoing trade engagements. Jaishankar also acknowledged the meeting on X, stating, "Our conversation covered a range of bilateral and international issues of current concern".
The Trump administration had previously imposed an additional 25% tariff on New Delhi as a penalty for its Russian energy purchases, bringing the total US levies on India to 50%.
Rubio highlighted that President Trump remains frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin's handling of the war in Ukraine, despite their summit in Alaska this August.
Rubio also commented on the broader US-India relationship, "India is a relationship of critical importance to the United States". A readout from the US State Department indicated that Rubio expressed appreciation for the Indian government’s continued engagement on several issues including trade, defense, energy, pharmaceuticals, and critical minerals. Both leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific through the Quad.
