The U.S. government is getting ready to implement the 25% additional tariffs imposed on India by President Donald Trump, which are to come into effect on August 27. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday (August 26) uploaded a notification of the new tariffs that it said would be published in the official register on Wednesday (August 27).
“To effectuate the President’s Executive Order 14329 of August 6, 2025… which imposed a specified rate of duty on imports of articles that are products of India, the Secretary of Homeland Security has determined that appropriate action is needed to modify the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) as set out in the Annex to this notice,” the notice said.
The August 6 Executive Order by Mr. Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on imports from India as a penalty for its import of oil from Russia. This 25% additional tariff would be over and above the existing 25% tariff that Indian import have attracted since August 7, 2025.
“The duties set out in the Annex to this document are effective with respect to products of India that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on August 27, 2025,” the DHS notification said.
These additional tariffs will not apply to imports of iron, steel, or aluminium products, passenger vehicles such as sedans, sport utility vehicles, crossover utility vehicles, minivans, and cargo vans, light trucks, or semi-finished copper and intensive copper derivative products, among others.
How bad will it be?
The United States was India’s top export destination in 2024, with shipments worth $87.3 billion.
Analysts at Nomura warn that 50% duties would be “akin to a trade embargo”, devastating smaller firms with “lower value add and thinner margins”.
Elara Securities’s Garima Kapoor said no Indian product can “stand any competitive edge” under such heavy import taxes.
Economists estimate tariffs could shave 70 to 100 basis points off India’s GDP growth this fiscal year, dragging growth below six percent, the weakest pace since the pandemic.
Exporters in textiles, seafood and jewellery are already reporting cancelled US orders and losses to rivals such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, raising fears of heavy job cuts.
A small reprieve: pharmaceuticals and electronics, including iPhones assembled in India, are exempt for now.
S&P estimates exports equivalent to 1.2 percent of India’s GDP will be hit, but says it will be a “one-off” shock that “will not derail” the country’s long-term growth prospects.
Will either side blink?
There’s no sign yet. In fact, since the US and Russian presidents met in Alaska, Washington has ramped up criticism of India.
“India acts as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while giving Moscow the dollars it needs,” White House trade adviser Peter Navarro wrote in the Financial Times earlier this month, slamming the country’s refiners for “profiteering”.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar fired back, arguing India’s purchases helped stabilise global oil markets — and were done with Washington’s tacit approval in 2022.
He argued that both the United States and Europe buy refined oil and associated products from India.
“If you have a problem buying oil from India, oil or refined products, don’t buy it”, he said. “Nobody forced you to buy it — but Europe buys, America buys.”
Mr. Jaishankar said that, until Trump’s ultimatum, there had been “no conversations” asking them to stop buying Moscow’s oil.
Trade trackers at Kpler say India’s stance will become clearer only in September, as most August shipments were contracted before Trump’s threats.
But experts say India is in a tricky situation.
India needs “considerable ingenuity and flexibility” to escape “what appears to be a no-win situation”, said Nandan Unnikrishnan of New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation.
What can India do?
New Delhi has sought to bolster its economy while deepening ties with both BRICS partners and regional rivals.
Jaishankar flew to ally Moscow, producing pledges to ease barriers to bilateral trade, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is preparing his first visit to China in seven years to repair long-frosty relations.
Domestically, Indian media reports that the government is working on a $2.8 billion package for exporters, a six-year programme aimed at easing liquidity concerns.
Modi has also proposed tax cuts on everyday goods to spur spending and cushion the economy.
What is blocking a trade deal?
Talks have stumbled over agriculture and dairy.
Mr. Trump wants greater U.S. access, while Modi is determined to shield India’s farmers, a huge voter bloc.
Media reports suggested that U.S. negotiators cancelled a planned late-August trip to India. That sparked speculation that discussions had broken down.
Mr. Jaishankar, however, says talks are continuing, adding drily: “Negotiations are still going on in the sense that nobody said the negotiations are off,” he said. “And people, people do talk to each other.”
(With AFP inputs)
Published – August 26, 2025 09:24 am IST