Amid escalating tensions, a journalist asked President Donald Trump why India was being singled out for tariffs when other nations, such as China, also import Russian oil. Trump responded with a sharp warning: “It’s only been 8 hours. So let’s see what happens. You’re going to see a lot more... You’re going to see so much secondary sanctions.” 

This declaration came as he signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports, pushing the total U.S. duty to 50%, specifically in response to India's continued purchases of Russian petroleum. 

Trump justified these actions by pointing to India’s large trade surplus with the U.S. and its close ties with Russia - both in energy and defense - while pushing for a peace agreement in Ukraine. These factors, he suggested, positioned India as a prime target in his escalating global tariff campaign.