Trump lifts 25% tariff on Indian goods imposed over Russian oil purchases
Photo: Donald Trump, President of the United States (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump has lifted the 25% punitive tariffs on all Indian goods that were imposed over purchases of Russian oil, according to Reuters.
According to the White House, on Monday Trump announced a trade deal with India that reduced US tariffs on Indian goods to 18%. In exchange, New Delhi agreed to stop buying Russian oil and lower trade barriers.
Reuters notes that India is heavily dependent on oil imports, covering about 90% of its needs. Imports of cheaper Russian oil helped reduce India’s import costs after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, when Western countries imposed sanctions on energy exports.
Recently, India has started slowing its purchases from Russia. In January, imports were around 1.2 million barrels per day, and they are forecasted to drop to about 1 million barrels per day in February and 800,000 barrels per day in March, according to Reuters.
In 2025–2026, the Trump administration imposed high tariffs on Indian goods to pressure New Delhi over its large purchases of cheap Russian oil, which the US viewed as supporting Russia’s economy during the war in Ukraine.
The US also imposed tariffs on India in 2025 over purchases of Venezuelan oil. However, Washington has now indicated that it may allow these purchases again to help replace Russian oil imports.
