Trump Hits India With 25% Tariff Over Russia Ties

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that India will face a 25% tariff starting August 1, along with an unspecified penalty, in response to its continued military and energy dealings with Russia. The move marks a major escalation in Trump’s economic pressure campaign aimed at both curbing Russia’s war in Ukraine and rebalancing America’s global trade relationships.

“INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “While India is our friend, we have done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high... and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country.”

India is one of the largest purchasers of Russian energy and military equipment, continuing its defense ties with Moscow even as the West calls for Vladimir Putin to halt his brutal war on Ukraine. Trump called out the contradiction of India benefiting from U.S. trade while bolstering Russia’s economy.

According to the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, America ran a $45.7 billion trade deficit with India in 2024 importing $87.4 billion in goods while exporting only $41.8 billion.

Trump is now demanding that India make a choice: either move away from Russia, or face significant economic consequences. The initial “Liberation Day” tariffs for India were set at 26%, but the administration reportedly scaled them to 25% while reserving the right to impose additional penalties based on further activity.

This move mirrors Trump’s previous threats against China, warning Beijing of massive tariffs for continuing to buy Russian oil. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated that stance this week, saying, “They’d like to pay a 100% tariff.” The administration is clearly signaling that any nation propping up Putin's war machine will face the full force of U.S. economic power.

Trump’s tactics have already had global impact, with energy exports being rerouted and trade negotiations with allied nations intensifying. The EU, under Trump’s recent trade framework, agreed to $750 billion in U.S. energy purchases and reduced tariffs across the board.

Trump has grown increasingly vocal in his frustration with Putin’s continued aggression. Earlier this week, the president cut short a 50-day deadline he had given Russia to strike a peace deal with Ukraine, citing another wave of missile attacks targeting civilians.

“We thought we had that settled numerous times,” Trump said. “And then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city, like Kyiv, and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever. You have bodies lying all over the street.”

With Trump resuming U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine and applying trade pressure on Russia’s allies, it’s clear the administration is escalating its push to end the war on America’s terms.

Trump’s 25% tariff on India and looming penalties are a stark warning to nations that attempt to play both sides of the global power struggle. In Trump’s words, “We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with India!!!”, and he intends to do something about it.

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