White House Presidential Personnel Office Director Sergio Gor, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be ambassador to India, testifies earlier than a Senate Foreign Relations Committee listening to on nominations on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2025. | Photo Credit: Reuters
Mr. Gor stated that Mr. Trump had made it “crystal clear” that India must finish all imports of Russian oil, which make up about 35% to 40% of India’s consumption.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick additionally stated that commerce negotiations could be resolved “as soon as” India stops shopping for the oil, suggesting this was a pre-condition for any deal.
‘Resolution in few weeks’
“Getting India to cease shopping for Russian oil is a prime precedence for this administration,” Mr. Gor stated, responding to questions from members of the U.S. Foreign Relations Committee. “President Trump has made it crystal clear that India should cease shopping for Russian oil,” he added.
Mr. Gor, who hopes to be confirmed quickly, added that India and the U.S. are “not that far aside” from a deal on the 50% tariffs that the U.S. has imposed on India.
“I do assume it is going to get resolved within the subsequent few weeks,” Mr. Gor stated, additionally indicating that Mr. Trump was dedicated to travelling to India for the Quad Summit, and has invited Indian Commerce and Trade officers to Washington subsequent week to renew talks on a free commerce settlement (FTA).
Pre-condition for deal
Mr. Lutnick, who has been extra sharply crucial of India, stated that the U.S. President had known as India’s buy of Russian oil as “nonsense”.
“India has to principally open its market, and cease shopping for Russian oil,” Mr. Lutnick instructed reporters in one in all a sequence of interviews he gave on Friday (September 12, 2025). “I believe India [FTA], we’ll kind it out as soon as they cease shopping for Russian oil,” he added.
The feedback by U.S. officers come days after Mr. Trump posted that he anticipated “no problem” in coming to an settlement on commerce. It is unclear whether or not he endorsed the statements linking the FTA to Russian oil imports.
In the previous few days, two worldwide media businesses — the Financial Times and CNBC TV — have reported that Mr. Trump instructed European Union leaders in a name that they need to impose “100% tariffs” on India and China for his or her purchases of Russian oil. However, EU commerce negotiators and Commissioners presently in Delhi for commerce talks have made no touch upon the difficulty. Diplomatic sources instructed The Hindu that the EU does impose sanctions, however doesn’t weaponise tariffs because the U.S. has been doing.
‘Despite hiccups, distinctive friendship’
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) declined to touch upon the statements made by Mr. Gor and Mr. Lutnick.
Government officers have constantly denied any plans to cancel Indian oil imports from Russia, insisting that they are going to take selections primarily based on India’s market pursuits. However, Indian orders for Russian crude have dropped in September. In August, India bought about 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd), nicely under the common of two million bpd over the previous few years.
Mr. Gor stated that, regardless of the Indo-U.S. tensions over the previous few months, which he known as “hiccups”, Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi have a “distinctive” friendship. “When the President has been crucial of India, he goes out of his solution to praise Modi. They have an unbelievable relationship,” he stated.
Published – September 13, 2025 01:42 am IST
