Trump announces 25% tariff on India

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States will impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from India starting on Friday.

"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 Truth Social post.

Trump added that India buys military equipment and oil from Russia, which he said has enabled the conflict in Ukraine. As a result, he intends to charge an additional "penalty" starting on Friday as part of the launch of his administration's revised tariffs on multiple countries.

India's commerce ministry, which is leading the trade negotiations with the US, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

India plans to resume broader trade talks with the US in mid-August when a US delegation is due to visit, hoping to seal a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement by October, Indian officials said before Trump's announcement.

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump also reiterated his claim that he helped broker a ceasefire to a conflict between India and Pakistan earlier this year, saying both sides accepted his request. India disputes Trump's claims.

Analysts say Trump's remarks on the India-Pakistan conflict have cast a shadow on trade negotiations.

On Monday, Trump said most partners that do not negotiate separate trade deals would soon face tariffs of 15 to 20 percent on their exports to the United States, well above the broad 10 percent tariff he imposed in April. His administration will notify some 200 countries soon of their new "world tariff" rate.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC the India talks require more time, noting Trump wants good deals, not fast ones.

India has shown "strong interest in opening portions of its market". However, its trade policy had long focused on protecting domestic interests, Greer said.

Indian officials said New Delhi had offered tariff cuts on a wide range of goods and was working to ease non-tariff barriers. However, agriculture and dairy remain "no-go" areas, with India unwilling to allow US imports of genetically modified soybean or corn, or to open its dairy sector.

Total bilateral goods trade reached about $129 billion in 2024, with India posting a surplus of nearly $46 billion.

Agencies via Xinhua