US slaps 50% tariff on Indian goods over Russian oil
The US just slapped an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, effectively raising the total to 50%, saying it's because India keeps buying oil from Russia.
President Trump put it bluntly: "India has not been a good trading partner... So we settled on 25% (tariff), but I'm going to raise that very substantially over the next 24 hours because they're buying Russian oil."
This move is part of his push to pressure countries supporting Russia.
What does the US want from India?
Basically, the US wants India to stop buying Russian oil, arguing those purchases help fund Russia's war in Ukraine.
The new tariffs could hit nearly $64 billion worth of Indian exports heading to the US.
Still, India's central bank is keeping its cool and expects the economy to grow by 6.5% in 2025-26—even with this trade drama.
India calls tariffs 'unjustified and unreasonable'
India isn't backing down.
Officials called the tariffs "unjustified and unreasonable," saying they'll keep prioritizing energy security no matter what.
They also pointed out that US sanctions aren't always applied fairly across different countries.
Tariff hike adds to tension in trade talks
This tariff hike adds more tension to already rocky trade relations between the two countries—especially with ongoing debates over market access.
Despite all this, India remains firm about getting its energy from wherever it needs, including Russia.