Can India and the U.S. Repair Their Relationship?

Trump’s 50 percent tariffs don’t need to burn the bridge.

A life size cutout of U.S. Vice President JD Vance is seen as children line a street in Agra, India, April 23, 2025. August 20, 2025, 6:00 AM Comment icon View Comments ( )

On July 30, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a baseline tariff of 25 percent on Indian exports, along with “a penalty” for buying oil and military equipment from Russia. On Aug. 6, he signed an executive order (EO) placing “an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent” on India. It made clear that any retaliation against this order “may” lead to a modification of the order and would go into effect in 21 days. Furthermore, it said that if Russia or any foreign country impacted by the

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