US issues additional tariff notice for India as New Delhi stands firm against Trump pressure

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Aug 26, 2025: 

Trump Tariffs India: The United States has issued a draft notice to implement an additional 25% tariff on Indian imports into America, which President Donald Trump announced earlier, starting August 27.

The draft notice was published on Monday by the Department of Homeland Security, which said that the increased levies would strike Indian products “that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on August 27, 2025".

Trump had first announced a baseline tariff of 25% on India, and then followed it up with additional 25% levies — which India described as “unjustified".

US’ Pressure Tactics And India’s Defiance

The move signals that the Trump administration has opted to escalate the situation amid heightened tensions with India in the recent past over New Delhi’s decision to continue buying Russian oil — something which Washington views as “fueling Russia’s war machine" in Ukraine.

India has remained defiant against Trump’s pressure tactics to force India to stop buying Russian oil and direct a large part of its purchase of energy from the US instead. Washington has termed its tactic as a move to force Russia to come to the negotiating table with Ukraine; however, New Delhi still remains the second-largest buyer of Russian oil, citing its national interests.

Recently, US Vice President JD Vance told NBC News in an interview that Trump imposed secondary tariffs on India as “aggressive economic leverage" aimed at pressuring Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

“Trump has applied aggressive economic leverage, for example, secondary tariffs on India, to try to make it harder for the Russians to get rich from their oil economy," he said.

India’s Stance On Russian Oil Imports

However, India has repeatedly stressed that its national interest is paramount.

“Indian companies will continue buying from wherever they get the best deal. So that’s what the current situation is… We have clearly stated that our objective is energy security of 1.4 billion people of India and India’s cooperation with Russia, as of several other countries, has helped to bring about stability in the oil market, global oil market," India’s envoy to Russia Vinay Kumar told Russia’s state-run TASS news agency in an interview.

PM Modi’s Veiled Message Ahead Of Trump’s Tariff Deadline

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a veiled message to Donald Trump during a rally in Ahmedabad that for him, the interests of Indian farmers and small entrepreneurs are paramount and that India would not succumb “no matter how much pressure comes".

“All of you are witnessing the kind of politics driven by economic self-interest that is happening in the world today. From this land of Ahmedabad, I would like to say to my small entrepreneurs, to the shopkeepers, to the farmers and cattle rearers. For Modi, your interest is paramount. My government will not allow any harm to come to small entrepreneurs, to farmers, or to cattle rearers. No matter how much pressure comes, we will keep increasing our strength to withstand," PM Modi said.