US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on imports from India, citing New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. The move marks a sharp escalation in trade tensions between the two countries.
According to the order, the US government has determined that India is “currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil.” As a result, all articles imported from India into the US customs territory will face an added ad valorem duty of 25%.
The tariff will take effect 21 days from the signing of the order, applying to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouses for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. However, two exemptions apply: goods loaded onto a vessel at the port of loading and already in transit before the effective date, and those entered for consumption before 12:01 a.m. EDT on September 17, 2025.
The order, signed under Trump’s executive authority, does not specify the duration of the new tariffs or the conditions for their removal. The development comes amid wider US efforts to pressure countries to cut economic ties with Russia following the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
This latest action is expected to have significant implications for US–India trade, which spans sectors from pharmaceuticals and textiles to information technology services, and could spark further diplomatic negotiations in the coming weeks.
