Days after slapping 25% tariff, Trump's fresh tariff threat to India

In a new post on Truth Social, Donald Trump has cited India's close ties with Russia amid the Ukraine war as a key reason behind this revision.

Updated on: Aug 4, 2025, 22:54:11 IST

By Danita Yadav

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US President Donald Trump on Monday has issued a fresh warning for India, saying he will “substantially raise” the tariff imposed on the country. This new statement comes a week after Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff for India in view of New Delhi's “high tariffs on US goods” and its purchase of Russian oil and military products.

Trump, in a new post, cited India's close ties with Russia amid the Ukraine war as a key reason behind this tariff revision. (AP)

India has responded to this warning and called the US' targeting of New Delhi ‘unjustified and unreasonable’.

Trump's latest message on Truth Social comes amid the US president's efforts to establish a ceasefire in Ukraine. Citing India's close ties with Russia amid the ongoing war, Trump warned of a higher tariff.

Also Read | Why will Donald Trump 'substantially increase' tariffs on India? Here's what he said

“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. They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Last week, Trump had issued another verbal attack against India on Truth Social, and called on both New Delhi and Moscow to “take their dead economies and go down together.”

“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social last week. “We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World," he added.

Ahead of the August 1 deadline, Trump announced 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods, along with an unspecified penalty over purchases from Russia. In his announcement last week, the US President said that India's tariffs "were among the highest in the world", adding that New Delhi had the "most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any country".

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Danita Yadav
Danita Yadav is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times. Based in New Delhi, Danita serves as a pivotal voice in international reportage in the team. Operating under the mandate of delivering "without the noise", Danita excels at distilling complex geopolitical developments into lucid, objective narratives which prioritise factual accuracy over sensationalism. In HT, Danita has been recognised for her breaking news efforts and time-bound coverage of the Air India crash, which has driven over 2 million users to the website through trusted, factual coverage of the incident. Thriving in high-pressure editorial environments, Danita has also cultivated a reputation for navigating the nuances of global diplomacy and cross-border policy. With over four years of experience in the journalism industry, Danita has spent her years diving deep into the coverage of international relations and global conflicts. She has previously worked with the news teams at Outlook India and Times Network, covering a wide range of beats and topics, from education curricula and student protests to Indian politics and international conflicts such as the Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan wars. Danita earned her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi. Beyond the newsroom and her love for international relations, you'll find Danita 'geeking' out over books, music and BTS. Her appreciation for global pop culture and storytelling also added to her unique perspective on the "soft power" dynamics that increasingly have shaped international relations in the ever-changing global order.Read More

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