Bollywood actor John Abraham, set to star in Zee5’s upcoming thriller Tehran, has raised alarms about the economic fallout from the United States’ decision to impose a 25% tariff on Indian imports, effective August 27, 2025.
The tariffs, tied to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, are poised to disrupt key sectors like pharmaceuticals and textiles, with broader implications for India’s economy and cultural landscape. In an exclusive interview with India Today, Abraham emphasized the far-reaching consequences, urging a strategic response to navigate the trade tensions.
Tariffs Threaten Key Sectors and Cultural Arts
The US tariffs, announced as a response to India’s Russian oil imports, which the US deems a national security concern, will significantly impact industries reliant on exports to the American market.
Abraham highlighted the potential damage to pharmaceuticals and textiles, noting, “So I think that’s the bigger part that you got to be worried about, because the impact is going to be huge, especially in pharma and textiles, etc.
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But finally, it’s going to boil down to each one of us who thinks he or she is not going to be affected.” He also expressed concern for the arts sector, stating, “Conflicts? I don’t know about the cross-border part, but I’ll tell you it is affecting art because our economy…everything depends on how our GDP does. Of course, it’ll affect art at the end of the day.”
The tariffs could reduce economic growth, limiting resources for cultural industries and affecting artists and creators across India.
Strategic Patience Amid Trade Tensions
Abraham advocated for a cautious approach to the escalating trade dispute, warning against hasty retaliation. “We can’t have any knee-jerk reaction right now. I’m not an expert, but I don’t think we should do any retaliatory tariffs right now. We should just wait and watch,” he advised.
He pointed out missed opportunities for India, which had positioned itself as an alternative manufacturing hub to China. “We had an opportunity had the tariffs not come because we were the go-to after China and now with the tariffs, it’s a tough one,” Abraham said, emphasizing the need to monitor ongoing trade negotiations over the next two weeks.
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On India’s energy strategy, he added, “But talking about Russian oil, I think we should, we should stand by Russia,” reflecting support for India’s current trade stance.
