President Donald Trump has ordered a 25% tariff on imports from India over the South Asian country’s Russian oil purchases.
The executive order, issued Wednesday, cites the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the National Emergencies Act, and section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974. It builds on a prior executive order Trump issued in March banning U.S. imports of Russian-origin crude oil, petroleum and related products.
Trump declared that Russian aggression toward Ukraine constituted a “national emergency” due to the “unusual and extraordinary threat” imposed on U.S. national security and foreign policy.
TRUMP TO ‘SUBSTANTIALLY’ HIKE INDIA TARIFFS, ACCUSES COUNTRY OF FUELING ‘RUSSIAN WAR MACHINE’
“To deal with the national emergency described in Executive Order 14066, I determine that it is necessary and appropriate to impose an additional ad valorem duty on imports of articles of India, which is directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,” Wednesday’s order says.
The order also creates a mechanism for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to monitor other potential violators.
“If the Secretary of Commerce finds that a country is directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the United States Trade Representative, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, shall recommend whether and to what extent I should take action as to that country, including whether I should impose an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent on imports of articles of that country,” the order says.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES 25% TARIFF ON INDIA, SLAMMING ‘OBNOXIOUS’ TRADE BARRIERS, RUSSIA MILITARY AND ENERGY BUYS
Trump states that he may modify the order “should a foreign country retaliate against the United States in response to this action” or should the Russian government or another foreign country impacted by the order “take significant steps to address the national emergency” and “align sufficiently with the United States on national security, foreign policy, and economic matters.”
Trump announced last week that India would face a 25% tariff and other unspecified “penalties” for purchasing Russian energy and military equipment amid the war in Ukraine.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, meanwhile, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday as the Trump administration attempts to broker a peace deal.
The order says the 25% tariff on Indian imports goes into effect in 21 days, so India and Russia could use that buffer to further negotiate with the U.S.
Fox News’ Meghan Tome contributed to this report. This is a developing news story. Check back for updates.
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