WASHINGTON: The United States will impose a 25 percent tariff on goods from India, plus an additional import tax because of India’s purchasing of Russian oil, President Donald Trump said Wednesday. India “is our friend,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform, but its tariffs “are far too high” on US products. The Republican president added India buys military equipment and oil from Russia, enabling Moscow’s war in Ukraine. As a result, he intends to charge an additional “penalty” starting on Friday as part of the launch of his administration’s revised tariffs on multiple countries.

Trump criticised India’s trade barriers, linking its Russian oil purchases to a potential additional tariff due to the Ukraine war.

The president's trade move comes before his Aug. 1 deadline for higher reciprocal tariffs on goods from nearly 180 countries across the world.