Shortly after US President Donald Trump announced an additional 25 percent, the Indian government has stated it will move to “protect national interest.” In its official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs has called the additional tariffs and targeting of New Delhi “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”
“We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India,” said MEA.
“It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest,” the Indian government added further. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order imposing an additional 25 percent tariff on India for its purchase of Russian oil.
The US President’s move comes amid pressure on Russia and Vladimir Putin to sign a ceasefire deal for the ongoing war in Ukraine. India had previously labelled Trump’s threats against it as “unjustified and unreasonable” and accused the US and European Union of unfairly targeting New Delhi for its trade with Russia.
“India’s imports are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer. They are a necessity compelled by global market situation. However, 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,” the MEA said in its previous statement.
Starting August 1, the US imposed a 25 percent tariff on India. As per President Trump, this decision was made due to New Delhi’s tariffs on American goods “being the highest in the world.” The Republican leader further added that the tariffs came with a penalty for India due its trade with Russia and participation in the BRICS bloc, which as per Trump, is “anti-American.”
