Why India has a 50% tariff
Last edited Wed Aug 27, 2025, 06:31 AM - Edit history (1)
Trump has doubled India's tariff to 50%. He says it's in response to India's purchasing of Russian oil. Yet China, who buys more oil from Russia than India does, received no increase in their tariffs for their participation. In fact, no other country has had a tariff increase because of any commerce with Russia.
Trump couldn't care less if Russia sells their oil and gas, or to whom.
Here's my theory. Modi and India did not go along with Trump's bullshit about taking credit for settling a conflict between Pakistan and India. India's increase in tariffs to 50% is a punishment for refusing to swear to Trump's lie.
= new reply since forum marked as read
President Trump’s repeated claims about having “solved” the India-Pakistan war infuriated Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. And that was only the beginning.
Link to tweet
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/30/us/politics/trump-modi-india.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iE8.ZUkL.sALtHdC3aNm1&smid=url-share
Mr. Trump had been saying — repeatedly, publicly, exuberantly — that he had “solved” the military conflict between India and Pakistan, a dispute that dates back more than 75 years and is far deeper and more complicated than Mr. Trump was making it out to be.
During a phone call on June 17, Mr. Trump brought it up again, saying how proud he was of ending the military escalation. He mentioned that Pakistan was going to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize, an honor for which he had been openly campaigning. The not-so-subtle implication, according to people familiar with the call, was that Mr. Modi should do the same.
The Indian leader bristled. He told Mr. Trump that U.S. involvement had nothing to do with the recent cease-fire. It had been settled directly between India and Pakistan.....
Just weeks after the June phone call, and with trade talks dragging on, Mr. Trump startled India by announcing that imports from the country would be subjected to a tariff of 25 percent. And on Wednesday, he slapped India with an additional 25 percent tariff for buying Russian oil, adding up to a crushing 50 percent.
Mr. Modi, who once called Mr. Trump “a true friend,” was officially on the outs. After telling Mr. Modi that he would travel to India later this year for the Quad summit, Mr. Trump no longer has plans to visit in the fall, according to people familiar with the president’s schedule......
“I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for this, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between India and Pakistan,” Mr. Trump posted. “No, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do.”
trump's desire for a Nobel Peace Prize is sad and has hurt our relations with India. Modi is attending a conference in China right now,
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.