US Treasury Chief Claims India Scaled Back Russian Oil Purchases After Trump’s 25% Tariffs

Last Updated:January 21, 2026, 07:19 IST

Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Scott Bessent said India adjusted its oil imports following the tariff move by the Trump administration.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. (Photo: AFP file)

India scaled back and stopped buying Russian oil after US President Donald Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed on Wednesday, even as Washington considers far steeper penalties on other countries continuing to purchase Russian crude.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Bessent said India adjusted its oil imports following the tariff move by the Trump administration.

“India started buying Russian oil after the conflict began. But President Trump put a 25 percent tariff on them, and India has geared down and has stopped buying Russian oil," he said.

Bessent’s remarks came in the context of a proposed Russia Sanctions Bill, which would allow the United States to impose tariffs of at least 500 per cent on countries that continue to buy Russian oil. The bill, authored by Senator Lindsey Graham, has received political clearance from Trump but is still pending before the US Senate.

Referring to the proposed legislation, Bessent said the Senate was seeking to grant the president additional authority to impose harsher penalties.

“On the 500 percent tariff on the buyers of Russian oil, that is a proposal that Senator Graham has in front of the Senate," he said. “We don’t believe that President Trump needs that authority — that he can do it under IEPA — but the Senate wants to give him that authority."

The comments underline growing pressure from Washington on countries purchasing Russian energy amid the Ukraine conflict, with India being cited as having responded to US trade measures by cutting back its imports.

News world US Treasury Chief Claims India Scaled Back Russian Oil Purchases After Trump’s 25% Tariffs

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