As the deadline for reciprocal tariffs ended on August 7, US President Donald Trump’s newly announced 25% tariff on Indian imports officially came into effect. This move follows an executive order signed last week that set revised duties on nearly 70 nations, including India.
Celebrating the enforcement of the tariff, Trump took to Truth Social shortly after midnight, posting in all capital letters: “IT’S MIDNIGHT!! BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TARIFFS ARE NOW FLOWING INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!” In a preceding post, Trump remarked that these large inflows of revenue would come from countries that had “taken advantage” of the US for years.
“The only thing that can stop America’s greatness would be a radical left court that wants to see our country fail!” the US President added in another statement.
Higher Tariff on Indian Goods from August 27
The newly enforced tariff is part of a broader trade crackdown initiated by Trump, who last week announced up to 100% tariffs for some nations. While India is currently facing a 25% duty, Trump has also imposed an additional 25% levy—taking the total to 50%—set to come into force on August 27.
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Trump previously justified the decision by citing India’s “far too high” tariffs and trade barriers. He also referred to India’s continued import of energy and military equipment from Russia as a reason for introducing further penalties.
Apart from India, countries such as Laos, Myanmar, and Syria were also included in the executive order, with some facing significantly higher duties. The tariff escalation is part of Trump’s ongoing efforts to repatriate manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign goods. On Thursday, he also announced 100% tariffs on imported semiconductors, except for companies already manufacturing in the US or those that have committed to doing so.
According to Bloomberg Economics, the newly introduced tariffs are expected to push the average US tariff rate to 15.2%—the highest since World War II—compared to just 2.3% last year.
