Trump warns of ‘Phase 2, Phase 3’ sanctions against India over Russian oil trade
Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he is yet to implement the second and third phases of sanctions against India, warning that New Delhi would have “big problems” if it continued to buy Russian oil.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the statement came during an interaction with the media in the Oval Office, where a journalist asked Trump why he had expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin but not taken any action against him.
Trump, referring to the sanctions against India, said that imposing additional 25 percent tariffs on India costs Russia “billions of dollars”. “That [sanctions] cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia, you call that no action? Then I have not done Phase-2 yet or Phase-3…”, he said.
Trump said that two weeks ago, he said, “If India buys, India’s got big problems, and that’s what happens.”
The US president has imposed 25 percent reciprocal tariffs on India and an additional 25 percent levies for Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total duties imposed on India to 50 percent, with effect from August 27.
