Overview

• U.S. Vice-President J. D. Vance told NBC’s Meet the Press that the White House is using “aggressive economic leverage,” including secondary tariffs on India, to curb Russia’s ability to profit from crude sales.
• Vance said Moscow has shown “significant concessions” in recent talks and noted that additional sanctions remain possible, with pressure calibrated based on negotiations.
• The oil-linked penalty is slated to kick in days after his remarks, stacking on an existing 25% reciprocal duty to create a combined 50% tariff on Indian goods.
• India rejects the charge that its discounted Russian oil purchases fund the war, calling the U.S. move unfair and insisting its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics.
• Bilateral ties have frayed with trade talks suspended, and U.S. officials signal the tariff pressure could be dialed up or eased depending on diplomatic progress with Russia.