Trumps Revenge as US Slaps India with 50 Percent Tariffs Over Russian Oil

 In a move widely interpreted as retaliation, US President Donald Trump has imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, bringing the total duty to a substantial 50%. This executive order was signed less than 14 hours before his initial tariffs were set to come into effect.

President Trump had previously warned of such action, stating he would raise tariffs "very substantially" over 24 hours. He expressed his displeasure, accusing India of "fuelling the war machine" by purchasing "massive amounts of Russian oil" and reselling it for "big profits". Trump further called India "the highest tariff nation" and a "not good trading partner," dismissing India's offer of "zero tariffs" as "not good enough because of what they’re doing with Russian oil".

New Delhi has fiercely countered the US stance, with the Ministry of External Affairs calling the targeting of India "unjustified and unreasonable". India asserted it would take "all necessary measures" to protect its "national interests and economic security," also highlighting continued US and EU imports from Russia, including uranium hexafluoride and palladium.

The economic ramifications are already being felt, with rating agency ICRA revising India’s FY26 GDP growth forecast downward from 6.2% to 6.0%. Sectors most vulnerable to the 50% tariffs include textiles, auto components, tyres, chemicals, agrochemicals, and cut & polished diamonds.