US-India Talks Expected to Resolve Dispute Over Russian Oil Purchases

USA: The dispute over US tariffs concerning Indian oil buying from Russia is expected to be solved by the two leaders President Trump and PM Modi in talks, said White House trade adviser Peter Navarro. Navarro claimed that the two leaders share a ‘very good working relation’ and he was optimistic that ‘it can be solved by a direct talking’. The row emerged at a time the US is escalating a crackdown on governments still buying Russian energy. The US Senate has passed new legislation that could grant the president power to impose tariffs of as much as 100% on states that purchase Russian oil and gas. Navarro criticised India’s growing purchases of Russian crude since the start of the Ukraine war, arguing that the trade has helped support Russia’s war effort. But India has stuck to its pragmatic energy policy, saying that Russian oil purchases serve their own national interest. Recent comments coming from Washington indicate that even though the disagreements over trade and energy are in existence, India is going to hold talks with the US.