‘India Fueling War Machine’: Trump Warns of Major Tariff Hike Within 24 Hours

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday escalated trade tensions with India, declaring that he may “substantially” increase tariffs on Indian goods within the next 24 hours. The threat follows his earlier vow to penalize New Delhi over its continued oil and defense trade with Russia, despite growing global calls to isolate Moscow.

Speaking to CNBC, Trump reiterated his long-standing grievance, claiming,

“India has not been a good trading partner… They do a lot of business with us, but we don’t do business with them. So we settled on 25 percent, but I think I’m going to raise that rate quite substantially in the next 24 hours.”

He added that India’s purchases of Russian oil were “fueling the war machine,” a reference to Moscow’s ongoing military operations.

Russia Reacts, Calls Trump’s Remarks a ‘Threat’

Reacting sharply, the Russian government condemned Trump’s remarks, warning that any threats directed at Moscow’s trading partners, including India, would be treated as “hostile pressure on Russia itself.”

India Hits Back: “Unjustified and Unreasonable”

In a strongly-worded response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticized the US stance, calling the tariff threats “unjustified and unreasonable.” The MEA defended its energy imports, emphasizing that India’s dealings with Russia are driven by national economic needs and global market conditions.

“India’s imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs for Indian consumers. They are a necessity compelled by the global market situation,” said the official statement.

India also called out the hypocrisy of Western powers, stating:

“It is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion.”

25% Tariff Already Imposed

Trump has already imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods ahead of his self-imposed August 1 deadline, citing both India’s high duties on US exports and its strategic engagement with Russia and BRICS.

Rising Tensions

The latest developments mark a sharp deterioration in US-India trade relations and could impact broader diplomatic engagements. With the BRICS summit and global geopolitical realignments on the horizon, the fallout from this tariff escalation may not remain confined to economics alone.