Trump slams India over trade, Russian oil

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that imports from India to the United States would be subject to a 25% tariff as of today, as he berated the country over trade barriers and its purchases of energy and military equipment from Russia.

- ANA SWANSON ALEX TRAVELLI

The announcement could put pressure on India to strike a deal or face hefty tariffs that would most likely put a strain on economic and diplomatic ties between the countries. It could also encourage businesses to choose other Asian nations for manufacturing operations, blunting India’s position as a leading alternative to China.

A 25% tariff would be just 1 percentage point lower than what the president threatened India with April 2, when he announced plans for sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries. It’s also significantly higher than the rates Trump has settled on for other Asian nations like Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Japan — all of which have been 20% or less.

As companies have moved out of China in recent years, some have made India a base of production, manufacturing electronics, pharmaceuticals and other goods for the US market. An industry analysis shows that this year India, which is currently the United States’ 12th-largest trading partner, is making more smartphones than China or any other country.

“WE HAVE A MASSIVE TRADE DEFICIT WITH INDIA,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. He followed quickly with another post, saying the United States had done “relatively little business” with India over the years “because their Tariffs are far too high Trump also criticised India’s economic ties with Moscow, saying the country was “Russia’s largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE”