US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has cautioned that India could face increased secondary tariffs if upcoming talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin fail to yield positive results. The high-stakes meeting is scheduled for Friday in Alaska.

Speaking to Bloomberg TV on Wednesday, Bessent said, “We’ve put secondary tariffs on Indians for buying Russian oil. And I could see, if things don’t go well, then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up.”

Earlier this month, the Trump administration imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, including a 25% penalty specifically linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil and weapons. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called the move “unjustified and unreasonable,” stressing that India will take all necessary steps to protect its national interests and economic security.

Bessent also urged European nations to align with Washington’s approach, saying, “The Europeans need to join us in these sanctions. They need to be willing to put on these secondary sanctions.”

The warning comes as Trump has threatened Russia with “severe consequences” if it does not agree to a peace deal. India currently sources about 35–40% of its oil imports from Russia, up from just 3% in 2021. This surge in discounted purchases since the start of the Ukraine war has strained US-India relations, with India being the only nation penalised under Trump’s push for a Ukraine ceasefire.

This marks Bessent’s second critical comment about India in recent weeks. Earlier, he described India as “a bit recalcitrant” during trade deal discussions. Responding to that remark, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor wrote on X, “Far better to be recalcitrant than to be tractable, submissive, or acquiescent in injustice.”

Trump’s new tariffs on Indian goods are scheduled to take effect on August 27.

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