India’s tariffs will be substantially increased from 25% in the next 24 hours: U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of the August 7 deadline
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he plans to raise Indian tariffs over the next 24 hours after announcing his 25% duty that will take effect from August 7.
Trump said in an interview with foreign media that the earlier regular tariff rate would be 25%. “India has the highest tariffs. We have very few businesses with India. We settled at a rate of 25%, but I think I will increase that significantly in the next 24 hours.”
The U.S. president further accuses India of buying Russian oil and refueling what he calls the “Russian War Machine.”
This is the second day after India has hit back in the United States after accusing New Delhi of buying “a large amount of Russian oil” and selling large profits on the open market.
“Unreasonable and unreasonable”: India hits us, EU
India said in a keen reaction on Monday that the U.S. and the EU are aiming to be “unreasonable and unreasonable.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) reiterated its position, saying New Delhi will take steps to protect its interests. “India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” a MEA spokesman said in a statement.
India clarified that it imports from Russia only after traditional suppliers shipped oil to Europe after the Ukrainian conflict.
“In fact, India began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were transferred to Europe after the conflict broke out. At that time, the United States actively encouraged India to import to enhance the stability of the global energy market,” the ministry said.
MEA logo double standard
New Delhi met what was called a double standard, despite public criticism of continued trade between the United States, the European Union and Russia. “Countries that criticize India are becoming addicted to trade with Russia,” the ministry said, noting that the United States “continues to import its nuclear industry, its nuclear industry, its electric vehicle industry, fertilizers and chemicals from Russia’s uranium hexafluoride.”
The MEA also marked the scale of EU trade with Russia.
“The EU’s bilateral trade volume with Russia was 67.5 billion euros in 2024. In addition, its services in 2023 are estimated at 17.2 billion euros. This is much higher than the total trade between India and Russia that year or later.”
“Illegal”: Russia supports India, slams our threat
Meanwhile, Russia has also responded strongly to Trump’s remarks, saying the pressure strategy is “illegitimate child” and supports India’s sovereign right to choose its trading partners.
“Russia points out our threat to India but does not consider such statements legitimate. Sovereign states must and have the right to choose their own trading partners, partners of trade and economic cooperation and to select those systems of trade and economic cooperation that are in the interests of a particular country,” said Russian President DMITRI PESKOV, spokesperson for the Russian President, who is known by foreigners as the spokesperson for the President of Russia.
