Washington/New Delhi: United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian imports, doubling the total duty to 50 percent, in retaliation for India’s continued oil trade with Russia.
The move comes just a week after Trump imposed an initial 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, citing the country’s deep and growing energy and defense ties with Moscow. The White House said India now has 21 days to respond before the full 50 percent tariff goes into effect.
“I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,” the executive order stated. “Accordingly… articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent.”
In a swift response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the move as unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable. “We have already made clear our position, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and aimed at ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people. India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests,” the MEA said.
NEW: President Donald J. Trump just signed an Executive Order imposing an additional 25% tariff on India in response to its continued purchase of Russian oil.
Here is the text of the Order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the…
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 6, 2025
Trump has increasingly tied trade policy to foreign relations, particularly with nations engaging in commerce with Russia. “We did it with India. We’re probably doing it with a couple of others. One of them could be China,” Trump told reporters, hinting at more secondary sanctions in the coming days.
He defended singling out India despite other nations also importing Russian oil. “It’s only been eight hours. You’re going to see a lot more… so many secondary sanctions,” he said.
Trump’s comments come as part of a broader strategy to pressure Russia into ending its war in Ukraine. The US president has vowed to broker peace within 24 hours of assuming office and has given Moscow a deadline of this Friday to strike a deal. On Wednesday, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Kremlin officials in Moscow.
Statement by Official Spokesperson⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/BNwLm9YmJc pic.twitter.com/DsvRvhd61D— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) August 6, 2025
The tariff increase places India alongside Brazil as the two countries now facing the highest US import duties. Brazil was hit with a 50 percent tariff after it arrested former President Jair Bolsonaro, a close Trump ally. A broader tariff package set to take effect this Friday also includes a 35 percent duty on Canadian goods and a 25 percent levy on imports from Mexico.
In 2024, Indian exports to the US were valued at $129 billion. The new tariffs are expected to impact major sectors, including pharmaceuticals, textiles, auto parts, and IT services.
Trump has also issued a warning to China, stating that it may soon face similar tariffs if it continues purchasing oil from Russia. Trump told reporters that a tariff move against Beijing could happen, even as he noted progress on a potential US-China trade agreement expected by year-end.
