'Studying implications, will take steps necessary to secure national interest': India on Trump tariff

The Ministry of Commerce and Trade on Tuesday while reacting to US President Donald Trump's tariff on India said that it is studying the implications of the announcement, adding that it will take all steps necessary to secure the national interest.

"India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement over the last few months. We remain committed to that objective
The Government attaches the utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare of our farmers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs," said the ministry in a statement.


"The Government will take all steps necessary to secure our national interest, as has been the case with other trade agreements including the latest Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the UK," said the statement.

Trump said in a post on Truth Social earlier Wednesday he would impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from India, starting Aug. 1. He added that the world's fifth-largest economy would also face an unspecified penalty, also starting on Friday, but gave no details. "While India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

"They have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE — ALL THINGS NOT GOOD!" said Trump.

The White House has previously warned India about its high average applied tariffs - nearly 39% on agricultural products - with rates climbing to 45% on vegetable oils and around 50% on apples and corn.

Russia continued to be the top oil supplier to India during the first six months of 2025, making up 35% of overall supplies.

The U.S. currently has a $45.7 billion trade deficit with India.

Despite progress in some areas, Indian officials resisted opening the domestic market to imports of wheat, corn, rice and genetically modified soybeans, citing risks to the livelihood of millions of Indian farmers.

India now joins a growing list of countries facing higher tariffs under Trump’s "Liberation Day" trade policy, aimed at reshaping U.S. trade relations by demanding greater reciprocity.