 "(File) US President Donald Trump. Reuters")
Just hours after raising tariffs on Indian imports to 50 per cent by imposing an additional 25 per cent, US President Donald Trump issued a warning of further secondary sanctions against countries over their continued oil trade with Russia.
When asked why India was being singled out while countries like China also import Russian oil, Trump said, “It’s only been eight hours. So let’s see what happens. You’re going to see a lot more. You’re going to see so many secondary sanctions.”
His comments come amid growing US pressure on countries to scale back economic ties with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
At an Oval Office event, Trump was also asked whether a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine could lead to a rollback of the added tariffs on India. “We’ll determine that later,” he said.
Trump hikes tariffs for trade with India
The tariff hike was announced in response to India’s ongoing energy trade with Russia, effectively doubling the overall tariff rate to 50 per cent. The new duties are scheduled to take effect in 21 days, giving both India and Russia time to negotiate with the US administration.
‘Unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable’: India
India has sharply criticised the decision, calling the hike “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.”
In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “The United States has recently targeted India’s oil imports from Russia. We have already made our position clear—our purchases are driven by market factors and aimed at securing the energy needs of 1.4 billion Indians.”