Trump Increases Pressure on India: Threatens 25% Tariff, Slams Russia Ties

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is once again ramping up pressure on India, casting doubt on the prospects of a U.S.-India trade deal just days before a key tariff deadline on August 1.

In multiple posts on Truth Social on Wednesday (July 30), Trump harshly criticized India’s “excessively high” tariffs and “obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers.” He also expressed strong displeasure at India’s continued energy and defense purchases from Russia, warning of a potential 25% tariff on all Indian imports, along with an additional “penalty” for its Russian energy dealings.

Trump wrote:

“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!”

Trump’s stance comes at a time when his administration has recently finalized several trade deals with Japan and the European Union. These agreements emphasized market access for American products and commitments to foreign investment, setting a rough baseline for new deals at 15–20% tariffs.

For India, this is a significant setback. Indian officials have been engaged in months of shuttle diplomacy between Washington and New Delhi, trying to finalize a trade agreement. Several times, they believed they were close to sealing the deal.

One senior official told CNN that Trump’s recent fixation on securing market access for U.S. producers has become a major hurdle in reaching an agreement with India. Trump has been reviewing final draft offers in recent days, and any proposal that does not sufficiently open India’s markets has faced rejection.

Officials noted that if a deal isn’t reached before the August 1 deadline, the U.S. administration’s paused “reciprocal tariff” program will snap back into effect, severely impacting Indian exports to the U.S.