U.S. President Donald Trump, through a presidential order on Wednesday, has imposed an additional 25% tariff on imports from India. He accused New Delhi of directly or indirectly importing oil from Russia. This new tariff is in addition to an earlier 25% duty already in effect.
This move comes just a day after Trump warned that India would face higher import duties within 24 hours if it continued purchasing Russian oil.
According to the order, the new tariffs will take effect within the next three weeks, while a separate 25% tariff is set to begin on Thursday. This means India will now be subject to two layers of economic pressure from Washington.
Some sectors have been temporarily exempted from the new tariffs, including steel, aluminum, and categories already under special sectoral tariffs. Sensitive sectors like pharmaceuticals have also been granted relief to avoid immediate disruption.
The decision comes at a time when a senior Indian official has revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China later this month for the first time in seven years.
Experts believe that this new trade pressure could further strain relations between the U.S. and India, which are already going through a rough phase following the collapse of trade agreement negotiations between the two nations.
Meanwhile, the White House announcement coincides with a diplomatic visit by Trump’s senior envoy, Steve Witkoff, who is currently in Moscow to persuade Russian authorities to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.
President Trump has issued a stern warning that if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to show progress toward ending the war in Ukraine, the U.S. will not only impose heavier tariffs on Russia but may also enforce secondary sanctions on its allied nations.
