New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has strongly criticized US President Donald Trump’s newest determination to impose an extra 25% tariff on Indian items, calling it a direct financial penalty for New Delhi’s continued buy of Russian crude oil. The hike brings the whole tariff on Indian exports to 50%, threatening to derail India-US commerce relations value $90 billion.
“It’ll positively have an effect as a result of we now have a commerce of $90 billion with them, and if the whole lot turns into 50% dearer, consumers will even assume, why ought to they purchase Indian issues?” Tharoor mentioned, talking to the media.
In a pointy counter to Washington’s transfer, he instructed that India ought to contemplate imposing reciprocal tariffs on US exports.
“In the event that they do that, we must also impose a 50% tariff on American exports… It isn’t that any nation can threaten us like this. Our common tariffs on American items are 17%. Why ought to we cease at 17%? We must also elevate it to 50%,” he asserted. “We have to ask them, do they not worth our relationship? If India would not matter to them, they need to additionally not matter to us.”
#WATCH | Delhi: On US President Donald Trump’s imposition of an extra 25% tariff on India’s buy of Russian oil, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “It’ll positively have an effect as a result of we now have a commerce of $90 billion with them, and if the whole lot turns into 50% extra… pic.twitter.com/JelkBnlBqV
— ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2025
The US administration’s justification for the steep tariff hike is India’s ongoing vitality commerce with Russia, regardless of Western efforts to isolate Moscow economically. India has repeatedly defended its stance, arguing that buying Russian oil at discounted charges is crucial for the vitality safety of 1.4 billion individuals.
Describing the US motion as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable”, India’s Ministry of Exterior Affairs referred to as it “extraordinarily unlucky” that Washington had chosen to focus on India for choices that a number of different nations, together with China, proceed to make in their very own curiosity.
When requested whether or not India ought to proceed sourcing oil from Moscow regardless of stress from Washington, Tharoor emphasised market logic and nationwide curiosity:
“We have to have a look at the market and resolve the place to purchase oil and gasoline from. If Russian oil is loads cheaper than the charges supplied by different international locations, why cannot we revenue from it? We’d like oil and gasoline for improvement actions,” he mentioned.
The tariff escalation has additional strained India-US commerce talks, which had already stalled over disagreements on market entry. India had resisted US calls for to open up sectors like agriculture, citing the necessity to shield home farmers.
Sending a transparent message after Trump’s tariff announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his authorities’s dedication to farmers: “The curiosity of farmers is our high precedence. India won’t ever compromise with the pursuits of its farmers, livestock holders, and fishermen. And I do know that I should pay an enormous worth for this personally, however I’m prepared. India is prepared, for the sake of the nation’s farmers, fishermen, and livestock holders,” PM Modi mentioned throughout an occasion in Delhi.
Echoing this sentiment, Tharoor acknowledged the significance of defending India’s agriculture sector: “An enormous part of India’s inhabitants is linked to agriculture. Regardless of whose authorities it’s, Modi ji’s or ours, we have to stand with the farmers. Our true mates overseas will perceive this, however those that aren’t prepared to grasp, who don’t worth our relationship as a lot as we worth it, we have to search for different mates.”
With tensions escalating, either side seem like digging in, signaling a tough highway forward for what has lengthy been thought-about a key strategic partnership.