Trump Tells Supreme Court India Tariffs Aim to End Ukraine War
The Trump administration has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a 50% tariff on Indian goods, arguing that the move is central to its broader strategy to end the Ukraine war.
Tariffs Tied to Russian Energy Purchases
The policy imposes a 25% reciprocal tariff on Indian exports along with an additional 25% penalty linked to India’s continued imports of Russian oil. Together, these measures raise total duties to 50%, which came into effect in late August.
Use of Emergency Powers
The administration justified the tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). It described the duties as a response to a national emergency tied to the Ukraine conflict and insisted they were vital to the administration’s peace framework.
Legal and Economic Stakes
An appeals court had earlier ruled that Trump overstepped his authority by invoking emergency powers to levy such tariffs. The White House is now seeking a Supreme Court reversal, warning that removing the tariffs could unravel U.S. trade leverage and push the economy toward what Trump called an “economic catastrophe.”
