Additional 25% tariff imposed by US President Trump on India comes into effect
New York/Washington (PTI): The additional 25 per cent tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump on India for its purchases of Russian oil came into effect Wednesday, bringing the total amount of levies imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in a draft order published on Monday, said the increased levies would hit Indian products that are “entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on August 27, 2025”.
Trump had announced reciprocal tariffs of 25 per cent on India that came into effect on August 7, when tariffs on about 70 other nations also kicked-in.
On August 7, the US president announced doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent for India's purchases of Russian crude oil, but gave a 21-day window to negotiate an agreement.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted he can't compromise on the interests of farmers, cattle-rearers, small-scale industries, cautioning "pressure on us may increase, but we will bear it".
“Products of India, except those set forth in section 3 of Executive Order 14329, that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on August 27, 2025, will be subject to the additional ad valorem rate of duty,” the DHS order read.
However, Indian products will be exempt from the new 50 per cent tariff if they were “already loaded on a ship and in transit to the US before 12:01 am (EDT) on August 27, 2025, provided they are cleared for use in the country or taken out of a warehouse for consumption before 12:01 am (EDT) on September 17, 2025, and the importer certifies this to US Customs by declaring the special code HTSUS 9903.01.85”.
Commenting on the additional tariffs on India, Mark Linscott, Senior Advisor with Washington DC-based business consulting and advisory firm The Asia Group, said that “unfortunately”, the US and India have managed to convert what appeared to be a true and unprecedented win-win on trade into a “remarkable lose-lose”.
“For the moment, the trade talks on reciprocal tariffs are on thin ice while the two sides stew over how to reach an understanding on Russian oil purchases. Hopefully, cooler heads who understand the value of the relationship will prevail in finding the path forward,” Linscott said.
Partner at The Asia Group Nisha Biswal said the 50 per cent tariffs on India — now the highest of any US trading partner — will be hugely disruptive, pricing Indian textiles and garments out of the US market.
“US businesses have also lost the unprecedentedly low tariff rates that USTR (United States Trade Representative) had previously negotiated. The move also casts doubt on the China+1 strategy, creating uncertainty for companies that had shifted production to India,” she said.
“The short-term impact of these tariffs will be undoubtedly severe, but a path forward remains possible if Modi and Trump engage directly to restore trust and strike a workable agreement,” Biswal added.
Managing Principal at The Asia Group Basant Sanghera said the secondary tariffs will be highly damaging to US-India economic ties and India's manufacturing ambitions.
“Without some level of leader-level engagement, the trade relationship will remain in the doldrums, with risk of further damage,” he said.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has accused India of “profiteering” by reselling Russian oil. India has called the tariffs imposed by the US “unjustified and unreasonable”.
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23-year-old woman found dead at Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): A 23-year-old woman was found dead in her house in Delhi's Prem Nagar area, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, an official said on Tuesday.
The deceased, identified as Anjali Singh, was found motionless in her room on Monday by her sister and her neighbour.
Police said her father, Vinod Kumar Singh (51), told them that he and his wife were away at work at the time of the incident, while their son and the other daughter were also not at home at the time of the incident.
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According to the family, the room in which Anjali was found was locked from the inside. The door was later forcibly opened by a neighbour and her sister with the help of a crowbar.
Her body was found lying on the bed inside the room, police said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that Anjali had allegedly hanged herself using a piece of cloth tied to the ceiling fan.
It is suspected that the noose eventually might have loosened or torn off, resulting in her being found lying on the bed.
Family members informed the police that Anjali was a final-year student of a librarian science course from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). About a week ago, her final-year examination results were declared, and she had failed, following which she had been under depression, they said.
The family has not raised any allegation of foul play, police said, adding that no suicide note or external injury marks were found on the body during the initial inspection.
Inquest proceedings have been initiated in the matter as per the law. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death, and further investigation is underway, police added.
