US President Donald Trump has signed a decree imposing an additional 25 % tax on Indian imports, bringing the total to 50 %, due to the continuous purchase of Russian oil by India, accused of “funding the war machine” in Moscow. This measure, effective in 21 days, is added to a tax of 25 % already planned, making India one of the most heavily taxed countries by the United States. Trump criticized India on Truth Social: “India massively bought Russian oil, sold it with enormous profits and ignores the dead in Ukraine. He denounced India’s “high taxes” to American products and his “non -monetary trade barriers”.
The Indian government has described this decision as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”, affirming its sovereign right to secure energy for its 1.4 billion inhabitants. “India will take all necessary measures to protect its interests,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. New Delhi points out that other countries, including the United States, trade with Russia, especially for uranium and fertilizers. Despite negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement, India refuses to open its sensitive agricultural markets. According to Reuters, the economic impact could affect $ 64 billion in Indian exports, although the Indian government minimizes the loss to 0.2-0.3 % of GDP.