Bessent hints at possible US tariff relief for India as Russian oil imports drop

Russian oil imports by India have fallen to a two-year low

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday signaled the potential removal of additional 25 percent tariffs on India following a sharp reduction in Indian imports of Russian oil.

Trade tensions escalated in August when US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 percent, including a 25 percent levy in response to India's imports of Russian crude.

"Indian purchases by their refineries of Russian oil have collapsed. So that is a success. The tariffs are still on, 25 percent tariffs for Russian oil are still on. I would imagine there is a path to take them off," Bessent said in an interview with Politico at the World Economic Forum.

India's Russian oil imports in December dropped to their lowest in two years, lifting OPEC's share of Indian oil imports to an 11-month high, Reuters reported on Friday, citing trade data.

Bessent's remarks came amid heightened pressure from Trump, who earlier warned that tariffs could increase further unless India curtails its Russian oil purchases.