SAEDNEWS: US President Donald Trump has declared he would slap a 25-percent tariff on Indian goods starting August 1, as punishment for “trade barriers” and New Delhi’s purchase of military and energy supplies from Russia.
“Remember, while India is our friend… their Tariffs are far too high… and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country,” Trump claimed in a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, trying to justify Washington’s tariffs.
He added, “They have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia… along with China.”
The president went on to suggest New Delhi had to stop making the purchases because “everyone” was asking Moscow to end its participation in the conflict in Ukraine.
Observers say by imposing the tariffs, the US is compromising its relations with a strategic partner for failing to align with Washington’s preferred narrative on Ukraine.
Simultaneously, Trump has issued a 10-day “ultimatum” to Moscow to end its participation in the conflict, while threatening secondary sanctions against any nation buying Russian oil.
The punitive measures targeting India were announced while, for months, Washington had been promising an imminent deal aimed at avoiding the tariffs.
In response, Indian Prime Minister Nrendra Modi’s government noted it was “studying the implications” of Trump's remarks.
Sectors expected to feel the heat include textiles and pharmaceuticals.
Forty-percent of Indian pharma exports head to the US each year, with the tariffs threatening production and provision of affordable medicine.
The US president also announced an unspecified "penalty" against New Delhi.
The developments came amid Trump's multi-pronged tariff war with several major international players, which has triggered harsh criticism on the part of the targeted countries.
