Trump proposes to increment tariffs on goods originating from India
In a move aimed at pressuring Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict, President Donald Trump has announced an additional 25% tariff on imports from India, effective August 27, 2025. This new tariff, added to a previous 25% tariff, brings the total tariffs on Indian goods to 50%.
The tariffs target India's continued purchase of Russian oil as part of Trump's broader strategy to exert pressure on Russia. This 25% tariff is imposed in addition to any other duties or fees unless covered by certain exceptions detailed in Executive Order 14257 (April 2025) and its annexes.
The President has given Russia a deadline for a ceasefire in Ukraine, threatening tariffs and economic penalties if unmet. This underscores the tariff as a political and strategic tool. Trump set a ten-day deadline for the leadership in Moscow to end attacks on Ukraine, aiming to further weaken the economic base of the Kremlin by putting pressure on large buyers in the energy sector such as China and India.
Despite the tariffs, India has pushed back and continues trading with Russia. Trump has been particularly critical of India's stance compared to other countries like China, which is the largest buyer of Russian oil. The U.S. government has also set up an interagency process to consider tariffs on other countries importing Russian oil either directly or indirectly.
The source of this information is ntv.de, gut/AFP/dpa. Trump wrote his threats against India on his Truth Social platform. It is worth noting that Trump reduced the tariffs he announced in early April to 10% to facilitate negotiations, but higher tariffs are set to come into force for dozens of trading partners, including India, on Thursday.
The ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, which Russia is attacking, was supposed to be achieved during the time period Trump set his deadline. However, the deadline has passed without result, and Washington threatens new sanctions. It remains to be seen how this trade conflict will unfold in the coming days.
[1] ntv.de, "Trump erhöht Tarife auf indische Importe auf 50% wegen russischen Ölkauf," 2025-08-16. [2] White House, Executive Order 14257, "Blocking Property With Respect to the Situation in Ukraine," 2025-04-01. [3] Reuters, "Trump threatens India with 100% tariffs over Russian oil purchases," 2025-08-13.
- The ongoing Ukraine conflict has prompted President Trump to use employment policy as a political tool, imposing a 25% tariff on imports from India, aimed at pressuring India to cease purchasing Russian oil, which is a key part of his strategy to exert pressure on Russia.
- The trade spat with India over Russian oil purchases is not limited to a single tariff, as the President has also threatened to implement additional employment policies, such as percentage-based tariffs, to further weaken the economic base of Russia by putting pressure on its large buyers in the energy sector.
