Higher US tariffs loom over India

Move to punish countries buying oil from Russia

- MUKESH JAGOTA

THREE DAYS AFTER US President Donald Trump warned of raising tariffs on India “very quickly”, the chances of him carrying out the threat appeared more real on Thursday.Trump is backing a Bill — Sanctioning Russia Act, 2025 — mandating “up to 500% tariffs” on countries buying Russian oil, without having to worry about any judicial intervention in his plans.

The Bill could be put to vote in the US Congress as early as next week. The latest move comes just a day before the US Supreme Court is expected to deliver rulings on the legality of Trump’s sweeping tariffs—a decision that could determine whether Indian firms salvage crucial summer orders or permanently lose American buyers.

Besides, the US will also withdraw from the India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA) among dozens of other international organisations.

Trump, after his meeting with cosponsor senator Lindsey Graham, gave his nod for the Bill.“The Bill will allow President Trump to punish those countries who buy cheap Russian oil fuelling Putin’s war machine,” Graham posted on X.“It would give the President tremendous leverage against countries like China, India and Brazil to incentivise them to stop buying cheap Russian oil that provides financing for Putin’s bloodbath against Ukraine,’ he said.