United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to “substantially increase” tariffs on India beyond 25 per cent, saying the country is not only buying oil from Russia but also reselling it for “big profits.”
Donald Trump last week said he would impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from India. He also said India would face another penalty, but gave no details.
Trump said, “I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”
Two Indian officials told Reuters that India would keep buying oil from Russia. This decision came despite Trump’s threats.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said India was helping fund Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying oil from Moscow.
Today, Trump posted on Truth Social. He said, “India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then, for much of the oil purchased, selling it on the open market for big profits.”
Trump added, “They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine.”
He wrote, “Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA.”
India is the world’s third-largest oil importer. It is also the largest buyer of seaborne Russian crude.
The US levy on Indian goods is higher than tariffs set for some other countries. Vietnam faces a 20% tariff. Indonesia faces 19%. Japan and the EU have 15% levies.
Last week, Trump said he had signed a trade deal with Pakistan. Islamabad said the deal would lower tariffs on its exports.
India and Pakistan had a short but deadly conflict in May. Since then, India has protested Trump’s closer ties with Islamabad. This has affected US-India trade talks.
Trump has claimed credit for the India-Pakistan ceasefire. He said it was due to his social media announcement and trade threats. India has rejected that claim.
Trump’s comments have created pressure for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi’s party had been supporting Trump’s election. Supporters held prayers and built a temple for Trump.
But Trump has now criticized India’s oil imports from Russia. He has also attacked India’s tariff policy.
The Indian government said it is consulting with “stakeholders” to plan a response. That term refers to businesses who had high hopes for Modi’s US ties.
India responds to Trump threats
India says it has ‘been targeted by the United States and the European Union for importing oil from Russia after the commencement of the Ukraine conflict” after Trump’s tariff remarks.
