Casablanca – Trump has imposed sweeping 50% tariffs on Indian exports, escalating tensions with New Delhi in a move Washington describes as punishment for India’s continued purchases of Russian oil.
The tariffs, which came into force on Wednesday, double the existing 25% duty and place India among the US trading partners facing the heaviest penalties under Trump’s administration.
The White House had argued that New Delhi’s reliance on Russian crude indirectly helps finance Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Former President Joe Biden had previously encouraged India to step up its purchases of Russian oil after the 2022 invasion to stabilize global energy prices.
Trump’s administration now insists the same policy is unacceptable. “I don’t care what India does with Russia,” Trump declared on Truth Social last month. “They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”
India, the world’s fifth largest economy, exported $87.3 billion worth of goods to the US in 2024, making Washington its top export market. Analysts warn that tariffs of this scale could cripple sectors such as textiles, seafood and jewelry, with exporters already reporting cancelled orders and rising competition from Bangladesh and Vietnam.
The Indian government has condemned the tariffs as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.” Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar accused Washington of double standards, pointing out that Europe continues to trade extensively with Russia while India is being singled out.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi struck a defiant tone, urging citizens to embrace self-reliance. “All of us should follow the mantra of buying only ‘Made in India’ goods,” Modi told shopkeepers on Tuesday.
Analysts say the tariffs give New Delhi fresh incentive to strengthen ties with Moscow and Beijing.
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