President Donald Trump has announced a fresh 25% tariff on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil, bringing total U.S. import duties on Indian products to 50%.
The decision, issued via executive order on Wednesday, will take effect 21 days from the date of signing, starting at 12:01am Eastern Time.
Trump justified the measure as part of broader efforts to counter Russia’s actions in Ukraine, stating that India’s oil trade with Moscow undermines U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives.
“The Russian Federation’s actions in Ukraine pose an ongoing threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy, necessitating stronger measures to address the national emergency,” the White House said. “India’s importation of Russian Federation oil undermines U.S. efforts to counter Russia’s harmful activities.”
Trump had previously warned of the tariff hike, accusing India of “turning a blind eye to civilian suffering in Ukraine.”
“They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine,” the U.S. president said.
India has pushed back against the accusation. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the move as “unjustified and unreasonable,” noting that India only turned to Russian oil after traditional suppliers diverted energy exports to Europe in the early days of the war.
“The U.S. encouraged India to import Russian gas to support global energy market stability,” Jaiswal added.
Trump’s move comes amid heightened pressure on countries maintaining economic ties with Russia. The White House said the tariffs are designed to push President Vladimir Putin toward a peace deal, with Trump giving Moscow until Friday to agree to a ceasefire or face “severe tariffs” and further penalties.
As part of a broader trade offensive, Trump also announced higher tariffs on more than 60 countries last week, giving them until Friday to renegotiate trade deals or face new duties.
According to the Kremlin, Putin met with Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Moscow on Wednesday—though no details of their talks were released.