US President Donald Trump has hinted at imposing what he called sanctions of phase 2 and phase 3 on India. Earlier, he gradually escalated tariffs on China from 10 per cent to 245 per cent. Will he do the same to New Delhi?
US President Donald Trump has hinted at imposing more tariffs on India. (File Image.)
US President Donald Trump has hinted at imposing more tariffs on India. Talking to reporters in the White House Thursday, he reminded them that he had earlier said that if India buys from Russia, it will have problems and indeed, it has big problems. When a reporter asked him if no action was taken against India, which bought Russian oil, he said, “Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India, the largest purchaser outside China, they are almost equal? Would you say there was no action? That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia, you call that no action?” He added, “Then I have not done Phase-2 yet or Phase-3… Two weeks ago, I said if India buys, India has got big problems, and that’s what happens.”
Will Donald Trump impose sanctions on India?
President Donald Trump imposed an additional or secondary tariff of 25 per cent on India over and above the base tariffs of 25 per cent, taking the cumulative tariffs to 50 per cent. The effective tariffs on most of the products are higher. Analysts believe that imposing tariffs of “phase 2” and “phase 3” as indicated by the US president, cannot be ruled out.
How did US gradually escalate tariffs on China?
It can be understood by the gradual escalation of tariffs on China. First, on February 1, Donald Trump imposed 10% tariffs on China to put pressure on it so that Beijing takes action against fentanyl, a drug. China retaliated on February 10 by imposing 15 per cent tariffs on coal and liquefied natural gas and 10 per cent on oil and agricultural machines. Donald Trump raised the tariffs to 20% on March 4. Beijing imposed 10 per cent to 15 per cent tariffs on select agricultural, meat, and dairy products, effective March 10, 2025. The US president imposed a 34 per cent “reciprocal tariff” on most Chinese imports on April 2. China retaliated by imposing a matching 34 per cent tariffs on all US imports.
Donald Trump responded by imposing an additional 50 per cent tariffs and another 104 per cent tariffs on Chinese products. China retaliated by imposing another 34 per cent tariffs, bringing the base tariff to 84 per cent. The US responded by increasing the tariffs to 145 per cent and China matched with tariffs of 125 per cent. Chinese products came under the US tariffs of 245 per cent at last. At the end of the slugfest, Trump brought it down to 30 per cent.
(US President Donald Trump with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.)
Donald Trump justifies tariffs on India
The US president can increase the tariffs on India. He has indicated it, calling it the sanctions of phase 2 and phase 3. Earlier, justifying the tariffs on India, Brazil and China, Donald Trump said in a telephone interview with The Scott Jennings Radio Show, “They have tariffs against us. China, which kills us with tariffs. India kills us with tariffs. Brazil kills us.” He added, “I understood tariffs better than any human being in the world. And now with my tariffs, they were all dropping them. India was the most highly tariffed nation… And you know what, they’ve offered me no tariffs in India anymore. No tariffs.”
FAQs
Q1: How much tariffs did the US impose on China?
Ans: Chinese products came under the US tariffs of 245 per cent at last. At the end of the slugfest, US President Donald Trump brought it down to 30 per cent.
Q2: Can Donald Trump impose more tariffs on India?
Ans: US President Donald Trump has hinted at imposing more tariffs on India. Talking to reporters in the White House Thursday, he reminded them that he had earlier said that if India buys from Russia, it will have problems and indeed, it has big problems.
#WATCH | Washington, DC | US President Donald Trump says, “… We have already done that (secondary sanctions) with regard to India, and we are doing it with regard to others… When they did what they did I thought it was a beautiful ceremony, it was very impressive, but I… pic.twitter.com/td3uzbH0VK
— ANI (@ANI) September 3, 2025
Summary
US President Donald Trump imposed an additional or secondary tariff of 25 per cent on India over and above the base tariffs of 25 per cent, taking the cumulative tariffs to 50 per cent. The effective tariffs on most of the products are higher. Analysts believe that imposing tariffs of “phase 2” and “phase 3” as indicated by the US president, cannot be ruled out.
