❓WHAT HAPPENED: Tariffs on Indian exports to the United States will increase to 50 percent by the end of August if the country continues to purchase Russian oil.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the Indian Foreign Ministry, and Russia.
📍WHEN & WHERE: United States and India, August 6, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war Machine.” — President Donald J. Trump
🎯IMPACT: Trump is using economic pressure to push Russia to end its war in Ukraine by targeting its oil customers, like India. Other countries that import Russian oil may now face similar tariffs as well.
President Donald J. Trump announced on Wednesday that tariffs on India will be doubled to 50 percent in August, in retaliation for the country’s purchase of Russian oil. According to the White House, similar trade penalties will be imposed on other nations that continue to buy Russian energy as part of President Trump’s efforts to use trade policy to pressure the Kremlin to resolve the war in Ukraine.
The new Executive Order will ensure that India faces a 25 percent tariff starting on August 27 if the country continues to purchase oil from Russia. This is in addition to the 25 percent duty that Trump announced last week, which takes effect on Thursday.
President Trump criticized the Indian government on a social media post this week for purchasing ‘massive amounts’ of Russian oil and selling it on the open market. He stated, “They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war Machine.” The order also directs administration officials to “determine whether any other country is directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil.”
India’s Foreign Ministry responded to Trump’s announcement late on Wednesday, stating its motives for importing Russian oil are due to the energy needed for its large population of 1.4 billion people. Indian officials signaled they did not intend to halt purchases of Russian oil. “It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the U.S. should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest,” the ministry’s statement said.
The National Pulse reported in late July that President Trump slammed India and Russia, declaring, “They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.” He singled out India specifically for not having reached a bilateral trade agreement with the United States.
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