Trump aide slams India’s oil imports, says it funds Russia’s Ukraine offensive

A top aide to former U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised India for continuing to import oil from Russia, accusing the country of indirectly financing the war in Ukraine. The remarks signal renewed pressure from the Trump camp on nations maintaining energy trade with Moscow.

Stephen Miller, a senior advisor and one of Trump’s most influential voices, said the former president believes India must stop purchasing Russian oil. “What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing oil from Russia,” Miller said during an interview on Sunday Morning Futures.

Echoing that sentiment, Trump’s former deputy chief of staff expressed surprise at the scale of India’s oil trade with Russia. Speaking on Fox News, he noted, “People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That's an astonishing fact.”

Despite mounting pressure from Washington, India has made no indication of halting its purchases. Citing government sources, Reuters reported that New Delhi intends to continue importing oil from Moscow.

Miller, however, also highlighted the strong personal ties between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing their relationship as “tremendous.”

The criticism follows Trump’s July 30 announcement of a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, along with a warning of further penalties over India’s defence and energy ties with Russia. Shortly after the announcement, Trump launched a scathing attack on India-Moscow relations, describing both nations as “dead economies” and stating bluntly that he “does not care” what India does with Russia.

Trump has suggested that if re-elected, he may impose steep tariffs—potentially as high as 100 per cent—on imports from countries that continue to buy Russian oil unless Russia agrees to a peace settlement in Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also weighed in on India’s position, calling the country a “strategic partner” but stating that its continued trade with Russia remains a “point of irritation” in U.S.-India relations.

India’s imports of Russian oil have surged since the beginning of the Ukraine war. According to data cited by Reuters, Russia accounted for just 3 per cent of India’s crude oil imports in 2021. That figure has now risen to between 35 and 40 per cent of total imports.