Washington: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday ruled out any trade negotiations with India until a dispute over tariffs is resolved, following his administration’s move to double duties on Indian imports to 50%.
When asked if talks could resume despite the latest hike, Trump was blunt: “No, not until we get it resolved.”
‘No, not until we get it resolved,’ US President #DonaldTrump on trade negotiations pic.twitter.com/EGA1pCcAgS
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) August 8, 2025
The White House issued an Executive Order imposing an additional 25 percentage points in tariffs on Indian goods, citing national security and foreign policy concerns linked to India’s continued imports of Russian oil. The order claims that such imports — whether direct or routed through intermediaries — pose an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States, warranting emergency economic measures.
According to US officials, the first round of 25 percent tariffs took effect on August 7. The additional levy will come into force in 21 days and will cover all Indian goods entering US ports, except for consignments already in transit and certain exempted categories. The order also allows the president to adjust the measures in response to geopolitical changes or retaliatory steps by India or other nations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded firmly during a speech at the MS Swaminathan Centenary International Conference in New Delhi, making clear that India would not bow to Washington’s economic pressure.
“For us, the interest of our farmers is our top priority,” Modi said. “India will never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers. I know we will have to pay a heavy price for it, and I am ready for it. India is ready for it.”
India has long resisted opening its sensitive agricultural and dairy sectors to global competition, arguing that doing so could harm millions of rural livelihoods.
The dispute marks a sharp escalation in trade tensions between the world’s two largest democracies, with both sides digging in over economic policy and national priorities. Analysts warn that the standoff could spill over into other areas of bilateral cooperation if neither side blinks.
