Trump Hits India with 25 Percent Tariff, ‘Penalty’ for Enabling Russia

The U.S. will levy a 25 percent tariff on India, which includes a “penalty” for buying military equipment and energy from Russia amid the war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday.

“Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

He continued:

Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE — ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST.

When reporters asked Trump on Tuesday if a deal with India had been finalized, Trump shot back, “No, it’s not,” the Hill reported. The tariff announcement less than 24 hours later confirmed that answer. (Read more from “Trump Hits India with 25 Percent Tariff, ‘Penalty’ for Enabling Russia” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr