Trump Punishes India with 25% Additional Tariff Due to Russian Oil Purchases

SadaNews - The White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, in a surprising move that reflects a escalation in trade tensions between the two countries. The White House pointed out that the new tariffs come in response to "India's continued importation of Russian oil directly and indirectly," at a time when U.S. pressure on countries purchasing Russian oil is increasing, as Moscow uses these revenues to fund the war in Ukraine. Following the announcement, global oil prices hit their highest levels during today's session, amid fears of new disruptions in supply chains and increased geopolitical tensions in emerging markets. **Trump Escalates Against India** Donald Trump had intensified his rhetoric towards New Delhi in statements made last night, saying: "We’ve reached 25%, but I think I will raise it a lot more within the next twenty-four hours because they are buying Russian oil. They are fueling the war machine. And if they continue to do so, I will not be happy." He added that "India has not been a good trading partner," referring to the stalled negotiations between the two sides regarding opening the Indian market to American products, and criticized India’s membership in the BRICS group that includes Russia and China. **New Delhi Seeks to Contain the Crisis** For its part, the Indian government announced its intention to continue dialogue with Washington, expressing hope to "avoid further tariff escalation that could harm the interests of both parties." Read also: Russian Oil Flows Steady Ahead of Tariff Wave Looming from Trump This comes just two days before the deadline set by Trump on August 8 for Russia to reach a ceasefire or face potential sanctions. He announced that he would make a decision regarding imposing sanctions on countries purchasing Russian oil after the completion of his envoy's mission in Moscow.