U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was unaware of American imports of uranium and fertilizers from Russia, a point raised by India as it pushed back strongly against what it called "hypocritical" criticism from the West over its energy ties with Moscow.

“I don’t know anything about it. I have to check it out,” Trump told reporters when questioned about India’s recent remarks accusing the U.S. and European Union of selectively targeting New Delhi while continuing their own trade with Russia.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a strongly worded statement on Monday, defended its continued purchase of Russian oil, stating that it was driven purely by economic necessity. The MEA noted that while Washington urges India to cut energy ties with Russia, American companies themselves continue to import uranium hexafluoride, palladium, fertilizers, and chemicals from Moscow.

“This criticism is unjustified and unreasonable,” the MEA said, adding that the U.S. had previously “actively encouraged Indian imports from Russia to stabilize global energy markets.”

Trump Warns of New Tariffs on India

In a fiery interview with CNBC, President Trump escalated pressure on India, warning that steep new tariffs could be imposed within 24 hours in response to its continued oil purchases from Russia.

“India hasn’t been a good trading partner,” Trump said. “They buy a lot from us, but we don’t buy much from them. We settled on 25 percent [tariff], but I think I’m going to raise that very substantially… because they’re buying Russian oil. They’re fueling the war machine.”

When asked if he would consider a 100% tariff on countries that continue to trade energy with Russia, including China, Trump responded vaguely but suggested such action was “on the table.”

“We’ll be doing quite a bit of that. We’ll see what happens over the next fairly short period,” he added, hinting at major policy announcements following ongoing diplomatic discussions.

U.S.-Russia Talks Underway

Trump revealed that a high-level meeting with Russian officials is scheduled for Wednesday in Moscow. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will represent Washington, with the aim of pushing for an end to the war in Ukraine.

“This is the one I’m trying to stop,” Trump said, referring to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “And one I’m working hardest on. The others stopped within a matter of days.”

He declined to provide details about potential sanctions or tariffs on Russia and its trade partners, saying that any final decision will be shaped by the outcome of Wednesday’s negotiations.

A New Flashpoint in Global Diplomacy

The latest tensions come at a time when India has emerged as one of Russia’s most dependable energy partners, despite global sanctions. With the U.S. now signaling punitive trade action and India pushing back on perceived double standards, the diplomatic rift could deepen ahead of upcoming global trade summits.