US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended President Donald Trump's aggressive tariffs on India, a key American ally, solely because New Delhi continues snapping up discounted Russian oil amid the Ukraine conflict. Speaking on Good Morning America, Rubio dismissed criticisms that Trump has gone soft on Vladimir Putin, insisting the additional levies are a direct punch to Russia's war machine.
"We've imposed additional tariffs on India—and they're a very close partner of ours—and we had meetings with them again yesterday, and it has to do with their purchase of Russian oil," Rubio stated firmly, highlighting the US's unyielding stance. Despite no direct strikes on Moscow, Rubio pointed to a bipartisan bill from Senator Lindsey Graham targeting oil buyers like India and China, framing it as a clever economic squeeze.
The Trump administration's move slapped an extra 25% tariff on India, ballooning total US duties to a whopping 50%—one of the steepest globally. This comes hot on the heels of Trump's controversial $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, sparking outrage among Indian IT and medical pros who dominate the program. Just days ago, Rubio huddled with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on the UN General Assembly sidelines, their hour-long chat covering trade woes, defense ties, energy disputes, and more.
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Jaishankar tweeted post-meeting: "Good to meet Rubio in New York. Our conversation covered bilateral and international issues. Agreed on sustained engagement." The US readout echoed the warmth, calling India a "relationship of critical importance" while praising ongoing talks on pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, and Quad security in the Indo-Pacific. Yet, beneath the pleasantries, tensions simmer over India's Russian energy deals, which Rubio says are "fueling the war effort."
Rubio didn't stop there, touting Trump's global peacemaking prowess in a Fox & Friends interview. "Trump has put more time into peace than anyone, brokering deals in Congo-Rwanda, Azerbaijan-Armenia, Thailand-Cambodia, and even India-Pakistan," he boasted. Trump himself amplified this at the UNGA, claiming he'd ended "seven unendable wars" in seven months—from decades-old feuds in Kosovo-Serbia to fresh flare-ups like Egypt-Ethiopia and Israel-Iran. "No one has done anything close," Trump declared, slamming the UN for inaction.
As Rubio pushes for European nations to ditch Russian gas and advances Ukraine security guarantees post-Alaska summit, the India-US bromance faces its toughest test yet. With tariffs biting and visa fees soaring, will this "close partnership" hold, or is it the start of a trade cold war? Analysts watch closely as Jaishankar and Rubio vow to stay in touch, but actions speak louder than words in this high-stakes geopolitical chess game.
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