A document from the White House showed that the US agreed to bring down the tariffs on Indian goods because New Delhi decided to stop importing oil from Russia. The development came in the backdrop of India and the US signing a trade deal that lowers Washington’s tariff on India to 18 per cent from the previous 50 per cent.
According to a formal White House presidential executive order, titled, “Modifying duties to address threats to the United States by the government of the Russian Federation,” President Donald Trump said, “India has committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil, has represented that it will purchase United States energy products from the United States, and has recently committed to a framework with the United States to expand defense cooperation over the next 10 years.”
The order said that the United States had already declared a national emergency due to the “continued Russian Federation Efforts to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.” The Biden administration, in 2022, issued an order banning the import of Russian oil and petroleum products to “protect its national security.”
Later in 2025, the US determined that the emergency was ongoing and that Russia posed a serious threat. In response, it imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods because it was importing Russian oil at the time.
President Trump declared that upon receiving information and recommendations from top officials, India stopped directly or indirectly importing Russian oil to address the US’ national emergency.
“I have determined that India has taken significant steps to address the national emergency,” the document read, adding that in recognition of the act, the President decided to “eliminate” the additional tariff.
Effective from 12:01 am EST on February 7, “products of India imported into the United States shall no longer be subject to the additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent,” the President confirmed.
The President stated that the White House will monitor “whether India resumes directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil.” Trump also said that if the US Secretary of Commerce finds that India has resumed the import of Russian oil, multiple departments of the state will come together to advise the President on the action to be taken against India, “including whether I should reimpose the additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent on imports of articles of India.”
The Congress on Saturday, Friday 7, took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the interim trade agreement with the US, claiming the deal is against India’s interests, and that all the “huglomacy and photo-ops” have not amounted to much.
Slamming the government, the Opposition party cited a White House release which said the US will now monitor whether India is importing oil from Russia, and said, “Naam Narender, Kaam Surrender.”
Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said the US-India joint statement just issued is silent on details.
“But from what has been revealed, it is clear that: India will no longer import oil from Russia. Separately, the US has announced that a 25 per cent penalty could be reimposed if India buys oil directly or indirectly from Russia,” Ramesh said on X.
“All the hugs and photo-ops have not amounted to much. Namaste Trump has scored over Howdy Modi,” the Congress leader said, adding, “Dost dost na raha,
” taking a cue from Mukesh’s iconic song from the 1964 film “Sangam”.In another post on X, Ramesh said, “The US will now monitor whether India is importing oil from Russia. If the US decides India has imported Russian oil directly or indirectly, the extra 25 per cent tariff penalty is back. This is truly extraordinary. And we have accepted it! Naam Narender, Kaam Surrender.”
This post was last modified on February 7, 2026 4:37 pm