Gatestone Institute senior fellow Gordon Chang weighs in on President Donald Trump holding off on China sanctions over purchases of Russian oil and the Chinese language financial system slowing sharply in July.
The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed a further 25% tariff on Indian imports, pushing some duties to as excessive as 50% as of Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Border Safety confirmed.
The transfer has been framed as retaliation for New Delhi’s surging imports of discounted Russian crude.
International Minister S. Jaishankar, India’s prime diplomat, ripped the U.S. for concentrating on New Delhi over Russian oil whereas giving China and Europe a go. Either side have blamed 5 rounds of failed commerce talks on misjudgments and missed alerts.
“The federal government has no hope for any speedy aid or delay in U.S. tariffs,” a commerce ministry official informed Reuters.
TRUMP TARIFFS PUSH INDIA CLOSER TO AMERICA’S STRATEGIC RIVALS CHINA AND RUSSIA
US President Donald Trump speaks with the press as he meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, DC, on February 13, 2025. (Jim Watson/AFP by way of Getty Photos / Getty Photos)
Final month, as Trump introduced the choice, the president slammed the South Asian nation’s “obnoxious” commerce limitations and purchases of Russian army gear.
“Bear in mind, whereas India is our pal, we’ve got, over time, completed comparatively little enterprise with them as a result of their Tariffs are far too excessive, among the many highest within the World, and so they have probably the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Commerce Limitations of any Nation,” Trump wrote on social media.

President Donald Trump seen at a rally. (Joe Raedle/Getty Photos / Getty Photos)
“Additionally, they’ve all the time purchased a overwhelming majority of their army gear from Russia, and are Russia’s largest purchaser of ENERGY, together with China, at a time when everybody desires Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE — ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. MAGA!, he went on.”
The choice – pushed backed till late August – despatched the rupee to a three-week low and Indian inventory indexes down about 1%, their steepest drop in three months. The Indian authorities predicts the hit will have an effect on $48.2 billion value of exports in key sectors like gems, textiles and meals.
Pankaj Chadha, president of the Engineering Exports Promotion Council, warned that U.S. orders may fall 20 to 30%. Officers say the brand new duties may make shipments to the U.S. commercially unviable, triggering job losses and slower financial development. India is pledging subsidies and help to melt the blow however has admitted that diversifying to new markets will likely be tough.

President Donald Trump signed govt orders imposing 25-percent tariffs on imported metal and aluminum, the newest salvo in his ongoing effort to overtake the U.S. buying and selling relationship with the remainder of the world. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Publish by way of Getty Photos / Getty Photos)
The U.S. State Division and India’s Ministry of Exterior Affairs each issued statements on Tuesday affirming that after a digital assembly each had an “eagerness to proceed enhancing the breadth and depth of the bilateral relationship.”
“Either side regarded ahead to growing protection cooperation, together with signing a brand new ten-year Framework for the U.S.-India Main Protection Partnership, in addition to advancing protection industrial, science, and expertise cooperation; operational coordination; regional cooperation; and information-sharing,” the assertion learn.
TRUMP ISSUES ULTIMATUM, THREATENING TARIFFS OVER DIGITAL TAXES AND REGULATIONS
Contributors additionally agreed to construct upon progress below the U.S.-India Catalyzing Alternatives for Navy Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Expertise (COMPACT) for the twenty first Century and past, in accordance with the discharge.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters outdoors the West Wing on the North Garden of the White Home on March 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Photos / Getty Photos)
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Trump’s prime financial official, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, has accused India of exploiting the conflict in Ukraine via Russian oil purchases.
“India is simply profiteering. They’re reselling. What I’d name Indian arbitrage — shopping for low cost Russian oil, reselling it as product — has simply sprung up throughout the conflict, which is unacceptable,” he informed CNBC.