Italy's Meloni speaks to India's Modi, skirts U.S. tariffs request

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised her country's "excellent" relationship with India during a phone call on Wednesday with her counterpart Narendra Modi, without referring to U.S. calls for the EU to impose tariffs of up to 100% on Indian imports.

According to officials, U.S. President Donald Trump urged the European Union this week to introduce new import duties on China and India as part of a strategy to exert pressure on Russia, a major oil supplier to both nations.

In their conversation, Meloni and Modi highlighted the "excellent state of bilateral relations" and reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, and connectivity, as stated by the Italian Prime Minister's office.

The statement made no reference to Trump's requests.

The leaders also discussed Ukraine, expressing their support for "all international efforts to promote a ceasefire and resume negotiations aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace."

While Europe and the U.S. have largely avoided Russian oil following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, India has capitalised on discounts offered by Russia, becoming the largest importer of Russian seaborne crude.

India has made it clear that it will continue purchasing Russian oil as long as it remains economically advantageous, despite the Trump administration's decision to impose heavy import tariffs on Indian goods.

Copied