Overview

• President Trump announced that a 25% tariff on Indian imports will take effect August 7 in response to New Delhi’s Russian oil purchases.
• India’s Ministry of External Affairs denounced the tariff as hypocritical, highlighting that the US continues to import Russian uranium, palladium, fertilizers and chemicals.
• The Indian Army shared a 1971 newspaper clipping of US weapons shipments to Pakistan to underscore persistent historical grievances in bilateral ties.
• Bob McNally of Rapidan Energy Group and former ambassador Eric Garcetti noted that the Biden administration encouraged India’s Russian oil imports in 2024 to stabilize global energy markets.
• Analysts warn that a 25% tariff could shrink India’s exports by $20–30 billion while China—despite larger Russian oil imports—has not faced similar US levies.