U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will "substantially" increase tariffs on Indian goods within the next 24 hours, citing India’s continued imports of Russian oil as a key reason behind the decision.
In an interview with MSNBC, Trump criticized what he described as unfairly high Indian tariffs on U.S. goods and condemned New Delhi’s energy ties with Moscow. A 25% tariff on Indian imports took effect on August 1, but the White House has yet to clarify how it plans to penalize countries for purchasing Russian energy.
India responded sharply. On Monday, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a pointed statement condemning Washington’s stance, highlighting ongoing European trade with Russia—particularly the import of 16.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2024—as well as American purchases of Russian uranium, fertilizers, metals, and chemicals.
When asked by a reporter about U.S. energy imports from Russia, Trump claimed he was unaware such transactions were occurring.
The new tariff measures coincide with a diplomatic push by Trump. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Moscow on Wednesday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The visit is seen as a last-ditch attempt to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine on terms favorable to Washington, ahead of Trump’s self-imposed August 8 deadline for Russia to end the war or face additional sanctions and secondary tariffs on its trading partners.
Trump’s pressure campaign has encountered resistance from key BRICS nations. Brazil, India, and China—despite facing high tariffs—have refused to scale back their energy cooperation with Russia. Brazil is currently subject to a 50% tariff on its exports to the U.S.
Meanwhile, 4 European nations agreed Wednesday to purchase $1 billion worth of U.S. arms for transfer to Ukraine, further deepening Washington’s involvement in the war. The development comes despite Trump’s repeated assertion that the conflict is “Biden’s war,” even as his administration escalates pressure through secondary sanctions—steps that President Biden avoided during his term.