"Risks Years Of Work": US Senator Slams Donald Trump Over 50% Tariff On India
Senior US Congressman Gregory Meeks has slammed President Donald Trump for his punitive tariffs against India over its import of Russian oil.
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Democratic US Congressman Gregory Meeks has criticized President Donald Trump for imposing punitive tariffs on India regarding its Russian oil imports. According to Meeks, Trump's latest "tariff tantrum" jeopardizes over two decades of carefully cultivated partnership between Washington and New Delhi.
"Our nations share deep strategic, economic, and people-to-people connections. Any concerns should be addressed through mutually respectful dialogue aligned with our democratic values," he stated, as reported by the House committee overseeing foreign policy legislation.
RM @RepGregoryMeeks: Trump's latest tariff tantrum risks years of careful work to build a stronger US-India partnership.We have deep strategic, economic, and people-to-people ties. Concerns should be addressed in a mutually respectful way consistent with our democratic values. https://t.co/T2GTZGKYAS
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems (@HouseForeign) August 7, 2025
The India-US relationship, meticulously developed through bipartisan efforts over twenty years, faces significant strain after Trump imposed a baseline 25 percent tariff on India last month while simultaneously halting trade negotiations. Meanwhile, China received another extension – a discrepancy in treatment between "friend" and rival that New Delhi has not overlooked.
On August 4, Trump announced an additional 25 percent tariff and threatened secondary penalties on India's Russian oil purchases.
New Delhi has responded by calling these actions "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable." India's Foreign Ministry declared that the government will "take all actions necessary to protect its national interests."
Trump's heightened global tariffs took effect on Thursday, forcing numerous US partners to seek relief from escalating levies that are transforming global trade practices. Just before implementation, Washington also imposed a 100-percent duty on semiconductor imports.
Trump's trade strategy demonstrates economic leverage intended to revitalize domestic manufacturing, though many economists warn it could accelerate inflation and reduce economic growth. His "reciprocal" duties – responding to trade practices deemed unfair by Washington – expand measures implemented since his return to office.
In his most recent action, the president increased import duties from 10 percent to between 15 and 41 percent for various trading partners. Many European Union, Japanese, and South Korean products now face a 15 percent tariff, despite agreements with Washington to avoid steeper threatened levies.
Questions remain about how these agreements will be implemented.
Offering some relief from the "reciprocal" tariff increase is a provision stating that goods already en route to the United States before Thursday – and arriving before October 5 – will not be subject to the new rates.
Georgetown University professor Marc Busch anticipates that US businesses will "pass along more of the tariff bill" to consumers.
"Inventories are depleting, and it is unlikely firms will absorb costs indefinitely," he told news agency AFP.
Trump is using tariffs to pursue various objectives – including doubling planned duties on India due to its Russian oil purchases, a key revenue source for Moscow's Ukraine war efforts. The order also threatened penalties on countries that "directly or indirectly" import Russian oil.
The Federation of Indian Export Organisations described the move as a "severe setback" affecting nearly 55 percent of shipments to the United States.