Photo File: Donald Trump, US President

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports in response to India’s continued purchase of oil from Russia. The new tariff will raise the total duty on Indian goods entering the United States to 50%.

According to the executive order, the increased tariff will take effect 21 days after its issuance, specifically at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on the effective date. It will apply to all goods “entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption” after that time.

President Trump had previously warned of this move, accusing India of indifference to the ongoing war in Ukraine. “They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine,” Trump said.

In a statement, the White House justified the decision by citing the national security threat posed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The Russian Federation’s actions in Ukraine pose an ongoing threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy, necessitating stronger measures to address the national emergency,” it read.

The administration further stated that India’s continued importation of Russian oil “undermines U.S. efforts to counter Russia’s harmful activities.”

India, in response, has condemned the tariff increase as “unjustified and unreasonable.” Speaking earlier, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that the U.S. had initially encouraged India to import Russian gas at the onset of the conflict “to help stabilize global energy markets.”

He explained that India turned to Russian oil after traditional energy suppliers diverted shipments to Europe following the war’s outbreak.