Trump announces 25% tariff on India, warns of additional 'penalty'
July 30 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he will not only levy a 25% tariff on India but will add an additional financial "penalty" as well.
In a Truth Social post Trump complained that while "India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their tariffs are far too high," which he alleges are among the highest imposed by any nation.
"They have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers of any country," he said.
Trump also accused India of buying "a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia and are Russia's largest buyer of energy" at a time when Russia continues its war on Ukraine.
"ALL THINGS NOT GOOD!" he added.
Because of these accusations, Trump said India will not only start paying a 25% tariff on Friday, but will be further financially penalized, although he did not explain what exactly that "penalty" will be.
Companies currently importing goods from India pay a baseline 10% tariff.
One of India's major political parties, the left-leaning Indian National Congress, or INC, took immediate umbrage with Trump's comments, calling out Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's relationship with Trump.
The INC posted to X Wednesday that Modi has campaigned for Trump, and "hugs him like a long-lost brother."
"In return, Trump goes on to impose such harsh tariff on India," the statement continued. "It is a catastrophic failure of foreign policy. An entire nation suffers from the consequences of one man's 'friendship.'"
It is unclear if Modi, a member of the conservative Bharatiya Janata Party, has yet to publicly comment on Trump's declarations.
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