US Imposes 50% Tariffs on India over Russian Oil Imports

In 2025, US President Donald Trump has significantly strained US-India relations by imposing a 50% tariff on Indian goods, primarily to pressure India to halt its imports of Russian oil, which constitute around 40% of India's oil imports. Trump's trade advisor, Peter Navarro, criticized India’s refusal to comply with US demands, accusing India of indirectly funding the Ukraine war and calling the conflict “Modi’s war.” Despite these tariffs, India remains steadfast, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi willing to bear the economic burden to protect domestic interests, rejecting US pressure as an infringement on sovereignty. The US Congressional Research Service has raised alarms about Trump’s disruptive approach, highlighting concerns over escalating tariffs, strained defense and tech cooperation, and perceived US favoritism towards Pakistan, which has angered India. While the US aims to use economic measures to influence India’s foreign policy, India continues to explore alternative markets and maintain its strategic autonomy, signaling a potential long-term shift in the bilateral relationship. This evolving dynamic underscores a broader challenge for US policymakers in balancing strategic interests with the transactional foreign policy approach of the Trump administration.