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President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced sweeping and substantial tariffs on India, one of America’s most important trading partners. In addition to a 25% tariff that is set to go into effect Thursday, Trump also announced an additional 25% tariff on India that will go into effect later this month as punishment for importing Russian oil and gas.
Those combined penalties would bring the total tariff on goods imported from the world’s fifth-largest economy to a whopping 50% – among the highest the US charges.
The latest executive order, according to a document posted on the White House website, represents an escalation of his trade battle with New Delhi and his first use of so-called secondary sanctions on countries the US says are fueling Moscow’s war machine.
The order finds India is “currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,” and says it is “necessary and appropriate” to apply the new 25% tariff on Indian goods.
The new, Russia-related tariffs will take effect in 21 days, while the already-threatened 25% tariff is set to take effect Thursday.
“I have received additional information from various senior officials on, among other things, the actions of the Government of the Russian Federation with respect to the situation in Ukraine,” the order notes as rationale for imposing the new duties.
The announcement came hours after Trump’s foreign envoy Steve Witkoff concluded a meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump earlier this week threatened India with the new tariffs, saying they were helping Russia wage war in Ukraine.
“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. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine,” he wrote on social media.
India responded to Trump’s tariff escalation, defending its purchases of Russian oil.
“We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India,” a statement published Wednesday by India’s Ministry of External Affairs read.
“It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest,” the statement added. It also hinted at potential retaliatory tariffs on American goods, saying that “India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.