Democrats on the US House Foreign Affairs Committee have criticised President Donald Trump for imposing steep tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil, while sparing China and other countries importing far larger volumes.
In a post on X, the Committee accused Trump of “hurting Americans & sabotaging the US-India relationship” by singling out New Delhi. “It’s almost like it’s not about Ukraine at all,” the statement remarked, questioning the administration’s intent.
Citing media reports, the Democrats argued that while the administration had threatened secondary sanctions for all countries purchasing Russian crude, it ultimately chose to target only India. “China, the largest importer of Russian energy, continues to buy discounted oil without facing similar punishment,” the post noted.
The criticism came on the same day the new 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports to the US took effect. According to a notice by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the higher duties apply to all Indian goods entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouses for consumption as of August 27.
The tariffs follow President Trump’s Executive Order 14329, signed on August 6, 2025, titled “Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of the Russian Federation.” The order directed modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, raising duties on Indian products to 50 per cent.
The move has sparked concerns over its impact on US-India trade ties at a time when China—the world’s largest buyer of Russian oil—remains unaffected by similar measures.
