Trump rows back threat of 'secondary tariffs' against India and China after Putin summit

[thesquanderer]

8. The primary tariffs on India WERE the secondary tariffs, on Russia.

We can't directly tariff Russia on their oil, because we don't buy it (due to sanctions). The idea is that we'd then tariff India *because* they're buying oil from Russia, to pressure them to stop buying it. It is an indirect tariff on Russia, or you might say it's "a primary tariff, once removed." So yes, technically it is a direct (primary) tariff on India, but the *target* of the tariff is still Russia, that's what makes it a "secondary" tariff on them, since the intended damage is coming at them indirectly, through another party (India).