January 22, 2026
World
World
TOKYO, Jan 22 — Japan has halted the restart of the world’s largest nuclear power plant just hours after it began, though the reactor remains “stable,” the operator said.
WASHINGTON, Aug 5 — US President Donald Trump has threatened to raise tariffs on Indian goods over New Delhi’s continued imports of Russian oil, a key revenue source for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
India swiftly condemned the move as unjustified and pledged to protect its national interests.
Trump’s warning comes as he pushes for new sanctions against Russia, demanding progress toward a peace deal with Ukraine more than three years into the conflict. US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin this week for discussions.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused India of “buying massive amounts of Russian oil” and reselling it for “big profits.”
“They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine,” he wrote. “Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA.”
Trump did not specify the tariff rate, though an existing 10 per cent duty on Indian goods is already set to rise to 25 per cent this week.
India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called Trump’s comments “unjustified and unreasonable,” stating that India, like any major economy, “will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.”
India has emerged as a key buyer of Russian oil since Western sanctions cut off Moscow from traditional European markets. While the shift has saved India billions, critics argue it has helped finance Russia’s war effort.
India defended its actions, saying it turned to Russian oil only after traditional suppliers diverted shipments to Europe following the war’s outbreak.
Although India is not a major export-driven economy, the US remains its largest trading partner. — AFP
