Trump threatens major Tariff hike on India Over Russian Oil purchases

August 4, 2025

New Delhi: U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that he will impose a substantial increase in tariffs on Indian goods, citing India’s continued import of discounted Russian oil amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

In a sharp criticism, Trump accused India of profiting from Russia’s war in Ukraine and said the country was “not caring about all the death and destruction” in the region. “India is buying massive amounts of oil from Russia and getting it at a steep discount. We cannot allow this to continue,” Trump said, adding that tariffs on Indian imports to the United States would be “substantially raised.”

I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA, says US President Donald Trump in a post on Truth Social.

“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.… pic.twitter.com/1fZlIDzyzx

— ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2025

The statement, made as part of Trump’s campaign rhetoric ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, signals renewed strain in trade relations between the two countries. Trump had previously threatened a 25% tariff on Indian goods starting August 1, targeting India’s energy and defense partnerships with Russia.

Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, reinforced the former president’s position. Speaking to U.S. media, Miller said India’s trade and immigration policies were undermining U.S. interests. “They are buying just as much oil from Russia as China, and on top of that, flooding our country with cheap labor,” he claimed.

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