Trump Hints US May Skip Secondary Tariffs on India
There were apprehensions that additional secondary tariffs would have hit India in case the US decided to enforce them
By : Sridhar Kumaraswamy
Update: 2025-08-16 06:23 GMT
New Delhi: In a move that raised New Delhi’s hopes on the trade front just hours after the Alaska Summit concluded, US President Donald Trump on Saturday indicated that he may not impose a 25 per cent “secondary tariff” on India for its import of Russian oil, as his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin had “gone off well.” Soon after the summit ended, a relieved New Delhi hailed both leaders for “their leadership in the pursuit of peace” to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, calling it “highly commendable.”
Following the talks, President Trump was quoted as saying, “I think I don’t have to think about that (secondary tariffs on India). Now, I may have to think about it in two or three weeks, but we don’t have to think about that right now. The meeting went very well.” Ahead of the summit, Trump had warned that secondary sanctions on India would be “very devastating,” given that India was importing about 40 per cent of its oil from Russia.
According to reports from Alaska, Trump confirmed that no deal had been reached to end the Ukraine conflict, though he said the talks went well. President Putin, however, stated that the two leaders had reached “an understanding.”
Welcoming the summit, New Delhi said, “The way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the conflict in Ukraine.” It also appreciated the “progress made” during the discussions.
India’s praise of the summit comes amid trade tensions with the US over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced a 50 per cent tariff on India, including a 25 per cent penalty on Russian oil imports, set to take effect from August 27. Tensions had also risen over Trump’s repeated claims that he mediated an end to the India-Pakistan conflict in May, a claim New Delhi strongly denied.
Despite US pressure, New Delhi has given no indication it has reduced Russian oil imports. After the penalty announcement, India criticised the move as “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable” and vowed to “take all actions necessary to protect its national interests.” Last week, New Delhi reiterated that while India-US ties have faced “transitions and challenges” in the past, the two nations continue to share close defence relations.