"if they’re going to do that, then I’m not going to be happy."
The United States has doubled tariffs on Indian imports, escalating tensions between the two trading partners.
President Donald Trump announced an additional 25% levy on August 6, 2025, bringing total tariffs to 50%.
Trump said: “I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil.
“Accordingly, and as consistent with applicable law, articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25%.”
The new tariffs will take effect in 21 days, while the previously announced 25% levy is due to start August 7. This move places India among the highest-tariffed US trading partners.
The decision marks Trump’s latest effort to punish nations buying Russian oil amid the Ukraine war.
He warned that India’s tariffs would rise “very substantially over the next 24 hours, because they’re buying Russian oil, they’re fueling the war machine”.
Trump added: “And if they’re going to do that, then I’m not going to be happy.”
India strongly condemned the move.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said:
“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.
“We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”
India also noted that several other countries continue trading with Russia but face no similar penalties:
“It is 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 ministry said in a separate statement:
“It is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia.”
“Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion [for them].”
Trump’s order also instructs US officials to investigate other nations that might be importing Russian oil.
He previously suggested a “penalty” for India over its purchase of Russian energy and military equipment, but details were unclear until this week.
India had previously called the threat “unjustified and unreasonable”.
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