India–US trade row: Donald Trump claims PM Modi ‘not that happy’ with steep tariffs; flags delays in Apache helicopter delivery
US President Donald Trump has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “not that happy” with him because of the tariffs Washington has imposed on India over its purchases of Russian oil, linking trade pressure directly to New Delhi’s energy ties with Moscow.Speaking at the House GOP Member Retreat, Trump referred to his interactions with the Indian leader while discussing US defence sales and tariffs. He claimed India had raised concerns over delays in receiving US military hardware and said the issue was now being addressed. “India ordered 68 Apaches,” Trump said, adding that India had told him it had been waiting for five years for the helicopters, as per PTI.During his remarks, Trump said he shared a good relationship with Modi but acknowledged the strain caused by tariffs. “He’s not that happy with me because, you know, they’re paying a lot of tariffs now because they’re not doing the oil, but they are — they’ve now reduced it very substantially, as you know, from Russia,” Trump said, according to PTI.Trump has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India, which includes a 25 per cent levy linked specifically to India’s purchases of Russian oil, PTI reported. He also used the platform to defend his tariff policy more broadly, claiming the US was benefiting financially from the measures.The comments come amid repeated warnings from Trump to New Delhi over its continued oil trade with Russia. Earlier, Trump said the US could raise tariffs further if India does not “help on the Russian oil issue,” directly tying the threat to the Russia–Ukraine war.He has accused India of strengthening Moscow by buying discounted Russian crude and has cited this as the reason for sharply higher duties on Indian goods.Trump has also portrayed the tariff pressure as a tool to influence India’s behaviour, saying New Delhi knew he was unhappy and wanted to keep trade relations on track.At the same time, he has sought to position himself as a potential mediator in the Russia–Ukraine conflict, holding talks with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, though without any concrete breakthrough.India, for its part, has previously rejected Trump’s claim that PM Modi had assured him New Delhi would stop buying Russian oil, clarifying that no such conversation took place.
