Washington: US President Donald Trump has suggested that China might encounter secondary sanctions or increased tariffs for purchasing Russian oil. On Wednesday (local time), the US President imposed an additional 25% tariff on India specifically related to its acquisition of Russian oil.

At a press conference at the White House, the US President was questioned about whether similar secondary sanctions would be imposed on China, considering that the Chinese are the largest purchasers of Russian crude oil. The President responded, stating, “It may happen, I don’t know, I can’t tell you yet, we did it with India and we are likely doing it with a few others, one of which could be China.”

Data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CERA) for June 2025 indicates that China has accounted for 47% of Russia’s crude oil exports, followed by India (38%), the EU (6%), and Turkiye (6%). CERA is an independent research organization registered as a nonprofit in Finland.

Turkiye is the largest importer of oil products, having acquired 26% of Russia’s oil product exports, with China following at 13% and Brazil at 12%.

The EU was the top buyer of LNG from Russia, purchasing 51% of the country’s LNG exports, with China at 21% and Japan at 18%.

Additionally, the EU was the largest purchaser of Russia’s pipeline gas, acquiring 37% of it, while China bought 30% and Turkiye 27%. Neither China nor Turkey is currently facing extra US tariffs specifically related to Russian oil or oil product imports.

On Wednesday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs highlighted China and Turkey, asserting that it was unjust to target India with additional sanctions for its Russian imports.

In its statement, the MEA remarked, “The United States has recently focused on India’s oil imports from Russia. We have already clarified our stance on these matters, including the fact that our imports are driven by market dynamics and aimed at ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people in India.”

It is highly regrettable that the US has opted to impose further tariffs on India for actions that numerous other nations are also undertaking in their own national interests. We emphasize that these measures are unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable. The MEA stated that India will take all necessary steps to safeguard its national interests.

Neither China nor Turkey is currently subjected to additional US tariffs specifically related to Russian oil or oil product imports.

In the meantime, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro defended the secondary tariff placed on India, citing national security reasons. During a press conference, Navarro remarked, “This was a pure national security issue linked to India’s complete refusal to cease purchasing Russian oil.”

As the US frames the acquisition of Russian oil as a national security concern, it is possible that additional tariffs may soon be imposed on countries like China, unless a peace agreement is reached with Russia.