Trump indicates ‘substantial’ tariff increase on Indian imports
U.S. President Donald Trump Monday August 4, 2025 indicated he is ‘substantially’ increasing tariffs against India
Washington/New Delhi: U.S. President Donald Trump Monday August 4, 2025 indicated he is ‘substantially’ increasing tariffs against India.
In a social media post, Trump cited India’s continued trade with Russia as the reason behind his latest decision.
Trump accused India of buying oil from Russia at a much cheaper rate and selling it in open market for big profits.
“India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits (sic)”, he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump also said India’s trade with Russia is aiding the latter’s war in Ukraine.
“They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine”, Trump wrote.
“Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA (sic)”, he wrote.
Trump's Liberation Day Tariffs
Trump had on July 30 imposed 25% tariff and penalty of unknown amount on India effective August 01, 2025. This was in addition to the existing 16% duty and 10% base tariff Trump had announced in April this year, on what he said, Liberation Day.
Two days after Trump’s announcement media reports citing unnamed sources said India has stopped buying oil from Russia. While speaking to reporters Trump had also cited these reports coming from unnamed sources.
Trump’s latest announcement to ‘substantially’ increase tariffs against India came a day after the Indian government sources, again unnamed, denied these reports. The sources further said that India and Russia have oil trade deal into effect since many years that cannot be discontinued all of a sudden.
"These are long-term oil contracts. It is not so simple to just stop buying overnight”, the Indian government sources told The New York Times.
Russian Oil
Russia, one of the largest oil producers in the world is a member of OPEC+. The country is facing trade sanctions by the U.S. and its allies over Ukraine war. However, India, China and Brazil are doing business with Russia despite the sanctions, as per reports.
The case of India is murkier, as it is reported, Releiance Industries of India is importing oil from Russia at a much cheaper rate but the benefits are not passed on to the people.
Petrol and Diesel in India are selling at much higher prices due to massive taxes on petroleum products.
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