Trump Says Talks Ongoing After Imposing 25% Tariff and Penalty on India

Trump Confirms Trade Talks With India After Slapping 25% Tariff and Penalty.

After imposing a 25% tariff along with additional penalties on Indian imports, former U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that Washington and New Delhi are still engaged in trade negotiations.

Speaking at a White House press briefing on Wednesday, Trump justified the move by calling India “one of the highest tariff-imposing countries in the world.” He added, “We’re talking to them now. We’ll see what happens.”

Citing tariffs of “100, 150, even 175 per cent,” Trump claimed India has long maintained excessive trade barriers, contributing to what he described as a significant trade imbalance favoring New Delhi.

Trump Targets India’s Role in BRICS
The former President also took aim at India’s participation in the BRICS bloc—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—calling it “anti-United States” and accusing the alliance of seeking to undermine the U.S. dollar.

“It’s an attack on the dollar,” Trump said, adding that India’s alignment with BRICS and ongoing trade deficits both factored into the tariff decision. “We’re not going to let anybody attack the dollar.”

‘Friendship with Modi, But Trade Is Imbalanced’
Despite his criticism, Trump noted his “friendship” with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, he expressed frustration over limited U.S. exports to India, blaming steep tariffs for the imbalance.

“They sell a lot to us, but we don’t sell much to them. Now they’re willing to cut tariffs substantially. But we’ll see what happens,” he said, indicating that negotiations were ongoing but non-committal on a final deal.

Tariff Announcement on Truth Social
Earlier, Trump officially announced the 25% tariff via Truth Social, confirming it would come into effect on August 1. He cited India’s energy ties with Russia, especially during the Ukraine conflict, as a key reason for the additional penalty.

“India continues to buy massive energy and military equipment from Russia—this is NOT GOOD,” Trump posted. “They also maintain the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country.”

India Issues Formal Response
In response, the Indian government said it remains committed to protecting the interests of its farmers, MSMEs, and exporters, while continuing to pursue a “fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial” trade agreement with the U.S. “India and the U.S. have been in active negotiations over the past several months. We remain engaged and committed to reaching an outcome that serves both nations’ interests,” the official statement read.