Divya Delhi : To the dismay of Western nations that have sanctioned Moscow, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained close ties with US President Donald Trump and Russia's leader Vladimir Putin while insisting his country is neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump appears to have lost his patience, insisting that Modi choose a side and using India's continuous purchases of cheap Russian oil as leverage in his trade battle. Trump and Modi, two nationalist leaders who have repeatedly praised each other, are increasingly at odds. In a CNBC interview on Monday, Trump threatened to “substantially” boost tariffs on India “over the next 24 hours” because it buys Russian oil. It's unclear what the new tariff rate will be or why he's criticizing India's longstanding policy. The new threat follows last week's minimum 25% levy on Indian imports. "They have always bought most of their military equipment from Russia and are Russia's largest energy buyer, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to stop killing in Ukraine—all bad!" Trump posted on Truth Social last week. The situation is more complicated for Modi. India, the world's fourth largest economy, has defied the Trump administration's trade pact demands, calling them unfair and “unjustified.” The US and Europe still trade fertilizers and chemicals with Russia, it said. Learn why India is hesitant to quit importing Russian oil.