Donald Trump has escalated his criticism of India by openly targeting New Delhi from the UN General Assembly stage, accusing it of funding Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine through oil imports.

This marks the first time India has been singled out in such sharp terms by the United States at the UN, reflecting both geopolitical tensions and ongoing trade disputes.

Just days earlier, Trump extended birthday greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and praised him warmly, yet his UNGA remarks indicate tough bargaining as the two sides are negotiating a sensitive trade agreement. Trump’s tone suggests he is leveraging the Ukraine war narrative to extract economic concessions, particularly in the energy and tariff domains.

In his address, Trump asserted that both China and India serve as the "primary funders" of the Ukraine war by continuing to purchase Russian oil. He argued that the war could be stopped quickly if major economies ceased buying energy from Moscow. He warned that unless countries halt such imports, the conflict would continue to drag on with unnecessary loss of life.

Trump further announced that his administration is prepared to impose another round of "very strong" tariffs as a tool to end the war. This follows his administration’s recent decision to increase tariffs on India’s Russian oil purchases by an additional 25%, raising the total duty to 50%—one of the steepest tariff regimes in the world. The hardline stance underscores Washington’s willingness to use economic pressure directly against allies and partners in pursuit of foreign policy objectives.

The US President also extended his criticism to European nations, accusing them of undermining the collective effort to isolate Russia by continuing to buy its energy products. He said NATO countries had failed to decisively cut ties with Moscow despite the ongoing conflict, and warned the alliance that time was being wasted while lives were being lost.

In an attempt to underscore his leadership credentials, Trump once again reiterated his claim of having ended "seven wars" during his earlier tenure, including what he insisted was the India-Pakistan conflict. While New Delhi has categorically denied the assertion that any mediation took place, Trump once again claimed to have resolved a longstanding dispute between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Trump also stressed that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would not have occurred had he been in power, pointing to his “good relationship” with President Vladimir Putin.

He argued that ending the conflict should have taken mere days given his rapport with the Kremlin, contrasting it with what he described as the failure of the incumbent administration and European governments to prevent prolonged hostilities.

Analysts believe that Trump’s sharp remarks against India are less about the war itself and more about trade negotiations and bargaining leverage. By raising tariffs and linking oil imports to the Ukraine war narrative, Washington is signalling its intent to use punitive economic measures to push India closer to US strategic interests. This approach may complicate bilateral ties, as India continues to defend its right to secure affordable energy supplies while navigating a complex global environment.

Based On ANI Report