Vienna, Republic of Austria (Weltexpress). The unprecedentedly high tariffs imposed by the Government of the United States of America (USA) under President Donald Trump on the Republic of India, also known as Bharat, particularly for purchasing oil from the Russian Federation (RF), will accelerate the rapprochement between New Delhi and Beijing, believes Gerhard Mangott, political scientist and professor at the University of Innsbruck in the Republic of Austria. ‘As of today, 50 per cent tariffs apply to the export of Indian goods and services to the United States. 25 per cent are explicitly linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil. The tariffs against India and Brazil (also 50 per cent) are the highest US tariffs worldwide. Trump is thus bringing India closer to its rival China,’ he wrote on social network X.
On 6 August 2025, the US political leadership decided to increase tariffs on imports of goods from the Republic of India by 25 per cent (to 50 per cent) in connection with the purchase of oil and oil products from the Russian Federation.
US President Donald Trump criticised the Republic of India for having long obtained most of its military equipment from the Russian Federation and for being the largest consumer of energy resources from the Russian Federation after the People’s Republic of China. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs described this backlash from the US and the EU over Russian oil imports as unjustified. The increased tariffs came into force on 27 August 2025.
