'Aggressive economic leverage': JD Vance says India punished to squeeze Russia

India is facing a crushing 50% tariff wall from the United States, a move that American Vice President JD Vance admits is aimed at squeezing Russia—by punishing New Delhi. The Trump administration’s logic: hit India’s oil trade to disrupt Moscow’s war economy.

In a striking admission on NBC’s Meet the Press, Vance revealed that President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on Indian imports are part of an “aggressive economic leverage” strategy. “Trump has applied aggressive economic leverage, for example, secondary tariffs on India, to try to make it harder for the Russians to get rich from their oil economy,” he said.

The move, announced earlier this month, slaps an additional 25% penalty on top of existing tariffs for India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian crude—a policy shift Washington says enables the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine. India, however, insists its energy procurement is driven solely by national interest and market realities.

New Delhi began ramping up Russian oil imports after Western nations imposed sanctions on Moscow following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. 

But Washington’s targeting of India, while avoiding similar criticism of China and Europe—the two largest consumers of Russian fossil fuels—has raised eyebrows. Despite being the third-largest oil importer globally, India’s purchases pale in comparison to European gas imports or Chinese crude volumes.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar did not mince words in response. “It’s funny to have people who work for a pro-business American administration accusing other people of doing business,” he said at an event in Delhi. “If you have a problem buying oil or refined products from India, don’t buy it. Nobody forces you to buy it.”

Vance, meanwhile, expressed optimism that the U.S. could still broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, citing “significant concessions from both sides” since Trump’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Russia can be reinvited into the world economy if they stop the killing,” Vance said, “but they are going to continue to be isolated if they don't.”