Trump Hits India With 25% Tariff—Plus a Penalty

On "Liberation Day" in early April, President Trump imposed a 26% tariff on India. On Wednesday he lowered that ever so slightly to 25%—effective Aug. 1—but tacked on an unspecified "penalty" for what he's described as India's tough trade barriers and its ongoing purchases of Russian military equipment and energy. CNBC reports he made the announcement in a Truth Social post that reads:

• "Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country."
• "Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE — ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. MAGA!"

In a second post, Trump added: "WE HAVE A MASSIVE TRADE DEFICIT WITH INDIA!!!" The AP notes that relations between India and Russia are close, with the former not supporting Western sanctions imposed on the latter over its war in Ukraine.