Trump’s Punitive India Tariff Spoils Modi’s Russian Oil Math (1)

A US decision to double tariffs on Indian goods as punishment for ongoing purchases of Russian crude leaves the world’s third-largest oil consumer in a tight spot and its refiners in disarray, but the move is unlikely to prompt a radical rethink in New Delhi.

For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it’s a dilemma that has cast the spotlight on an uncomfortably large oil import bill — as well as the dangers of walking a geopolitical tightrope in an age of exceptional volatility.

If New Delhi yields to the threat, it could jeopardize a long-standing relationship with Moscow that extends ...