The United States will pressure G7 countries to impose higher tariffs on India and China for buying Russian oil, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing four people briefed on the plans. The Group of Seven (G7) is a political and economic forum of seven major advanced economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. According to FT, US President Donald Trump this week urged the EU to impose up to 100 per cent tariffs on China and India, but is now expanding the push to include G7 allies.

Meanwhile, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Thursday he believes Washington will strike a trade deal with India as soon as the country stops buying Russian oil. Asked on CNBC about his top trade priority, Lutnick said: "Well, we're going to sort out India, once it stops buying Russian oil."

Sergio Gor, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next US ambassador to India, told the Senate on Thursday that Washington and New Delhi are "not that far apart" on tariffs. "We're not that far apart on a deal on these tariffs," Gor said, adding that he expected the issue to be resolved within weeks.

US-India ties have been strained by Trump’s trade war, with negotiations on lowering tariff rates collapsing after India, the world’s fifth-largest economy, resisted opening its agricultural and dairy markets. Bilateral trade between the two countries is worth more than $190 billion annually.

Trump first imposed additional tariffs of 25% on imports from India, later announcing they would double to 50% from August 27 as punishment for New Delhi’s increased purchases of Russian oil.

On Tuesday, Trump said his administration was continuing negotiations to address trade barriers with India and that he would talk directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signalling a possible reset after weeks of diplomatic friction.

At his hearing, Gor was also asked about the Quad summit, which groups India with Australia, Japan, and the United States. He responded: "Without committing to exact dates ... the president is fully committed to continue to meet with the Quad and strengthening it."

India is expected to host a Quad summit in November, with a sharper focus on security regarding China than before. However, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters this month that Trump has yet to schedule a trip there.
(With Reuters inputs.)