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US Uses Tariffs on India to Pressure Russia – JD Vance
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed that the Trump administration imposed secondary tariffs on India as a form of “aggressive economic leverage” to push Russia toward ending its war in Ukraine.
Tariff Structure
The new duties include a 25% reciprocal tariff along with an additional 25% penalty tied to India’s continued import of Russian oil. Together, these raise overall U.S. tariffs on Indian goods to about 50%, marking one of the sharpest trade actions taken against New Delhi in recent years.
Strategic Objective
Officials explained that the move is aimed at cutting Russian oil revenues by discouraging intermediaries like India from benefitting from discounted crude supplies. The U.S. hopes to weaken Russia’s financial ability to sustain the conflict through indirect trade pressure.
India’s Response
The Indian government described the tariffs as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” stressing that affordable energy supplies are essential for its 1.4 billion people. New Delhi has maintained that its oil purchases from Russia are driven by national interest and economic necessity rather than political alignment.
