“Unfair, Unjustified, Unreasonable”: India’s Stern Rebuke to Trump’s 50% Tariff
NEW DELHI, India – August 7, 2025: India’s government is not happy. They’ve come out swinging against the United States’ decision to slap a massive 50% tariff on Indian goods. It’s a move that’s pretty much unheard of recently, and India isn’t taking it lying down. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called the action unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable, and said they’ll do whatever it takes to protect their national interests. This could seriously mess things up between the two countries, both economically and diplomatically.
What They’re Saying
The MEA dropped their official statement late Wednesday, responding directly to President Donald Trump’s new order. This order adds another 25% tax on top of the 25% tariff that went into effect today, August 7, 2025.
Basically, the statement says the U.S. is wrong to say India’s buying Russian oil is helping Russia’s war in Ukraine. The MEA keeps saying that India buys oil based on what’s available and that it’s super important for keeping the lights on for 1.4 billion people.
Calling Out Hypocrisy
India’s response points out that the U.S. seems to be playing favorites. The MEA said that other countries, even some of America’s buddies in Europe, are still doing business with Russia.
The statement says it’s a shame that the US would tax India for things that lots of other countries are doing in their own interest. They’re basically saying the U.S. is singling them out for no good reason.
What This Means for Trade
The new 25% tariff kicks in on August 27, 2025, making the total tax 50%. Right now, India and Brazil are the countries getting hit hardest by U.S. tariffs, even more than China (at 30%).
The Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) says this could screw up more than half of India’s exports to the U.S. Key industries like textiles, leather, and jewelry could really suffer.
Lots of Indian exporters, especially small businesses, are saying their U.S. customers are thinking about canceling orders because of the higher prices. They’re worried about losing customers they’ve had for years.
What’s Really Going On
This whole thing is happening because India and the U.S. don’t see eye-to-eye on foreign policy. India likes to do its own thing and make its own decisions, including who it does business with.
After the Ukraine invasion in 2022, India started buying a lot more Russian oil because it was cheap. By 2024, Russia was India’s main oil supplier, making up over 35% of their total oil imports. That’s a huge jump from before the war.
U.S. officials, including President Trump, are saying India is not just funding the war but also making a killing by selling the oil after refining it. The tariffs are a way to try and pressure India to change its policies.
What’s Next?
The Indian government is making it clear that they’re not going to give in. The MEA’s tough words show they’re ready to stand up for their economic and energy needs.
A U.S. team is supposed to visit India for trade talks later this month, but these tariffs have made things really awkward. India is already looking at ways to help the affected exporters, like finding new markets and strengthening their own industries.
Some experts are calling this the worst mess in the U.S.-India relationship in the last 20 years. The next few weeks will show if the two countries can work things out or if this will turn into a long and messy trade war that could affect everyone.
