‘Trump’s drive to strong-arm India into a one-sided trade deal’: Brahma Chellaney on US’ ‘weaponised’ tariffs
Trump tariffs go live: Brahma Chellaney says New Delhi is now being punished more harshly than Beijing.
- Aug 27, 2025,
- Updated Aug 27, 2025 2:18 PM IST
The Trump tariffs are weapons that have little to do with Russian oil, said geostrategist Brahma Chellaney. He said the 50 per cent tariffs, that came into effect today, are just a way to strong-arm New Delhi into a one-sided trade deal.
“With Trump’s secondary sanctions on India now in effect, it is clear that his trade policy is driven less by grand strategy than by narrow commercial objectives. In a twist of irony, India — long courted by the US as a counterweight to China — is now being punished more harshly than Beijing. The weaponized tariffs have little to do with Russian oil and everything to do with Trump’s drive to strong-arm New Delhi into a one-sided trade deal,” he said.
The US’ 50 per cent tariff would impact a significant portion of Indian exports, affecting over $48 billion worth of trade. The new duties were triggered by India's continued imports of Russian oil and defence equipment, comprising an initial 25 per cent base duty introduced in July, followed by an additional 25 per cent penalty in August. The tariffs took effect at 12:01 AM EDT on August 27.
The tariff imposition targets two-thirds of India's goods trade with the US, the country's largest export market. As a result, sectors such as textiles, seafood, and machinery are expected to suffer, with production hubs likely to experience significant disruptions. Crisil Ratings has warned that up to 70 per cent of export volumes in certain categories could be lost, potentially leading to a 43 per cent decline in India's US-bound exports this fiscal year.
In the face of these economic challenges, the Indian government has initiated a Rs 25,000 crore Export Promotion Mission to safeguard its export industry.
Meanwhile, economist Jeffrey Sachs has criticised the US administration's tactics, stating: "He (Trump) is trying to arm-twist India, but he's not going to succeed. What he is succeeding in doing is uniting the BRICS countries, bringing India closer to Russia, to China, to Brazil, to other major economies in the world. He is isolating the United States from the world economy because these tariffs are making the US industry less competitive."
India is also actively pursuing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the EU, UK, and other regions to diversify its export markets and reduce reliance on the US. Simultaneously, ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement with the US have encountered delays after a scheduled visit by American trade officials was postponed.
The Trump tariffs are weapons that have little to do with Russian oil, said geostrategist Brahma Chellaney. He said the 50 per cent tariffs, that came into effect today, are just a way to strong-arm New Delhi into a one-sided trade deal.
“With Trump’s secondary sanctions on India now in effect, it is clear that his trade policy is driven less by grand strategy than by narrow commercial objectives. In a twist of irony, India — long courted by the US as a counterweight to China — is now being punished more harshly than Beijing. The weaponized tariffs have little to do with Russian oil and everything to do with Trump’s drive to strong-arm New Delhi into a one-sided trade deal,” he said.
The US’ 50 per cent tariff would impact a significant portion of Indian exports, affecting over $48 billion worth of trade. The new duties were triggered by India's continued imports of Russian oil and defence equipment, comprising an initial 25 per cent base duty introduced in July, followed by an additional 25 per cent penalty in August. The tariffs took effect at 12:01 AM EDT on August 27.
The tariff imposition targets two-thirds of India's goods trade with the US, the country's largest export market. As a result, sectors such as textiles, seafood, and machinery are expected to suffer, with production hubs likely to experience significant disruptions. Crisil Ratings has warned that up to 70 per cent of export volumes in certain categories could be lost, potentially leading to a 43 per cent decline in India's US-bound exports this fiscal year.
In the face of these economic challenges, the Indian government has initiated a Rs 25,000 crore Export Promotion Mission to safeguard its export industry.
Meanwhile, economist Jeffrey Sachs has criticised the US administration's tactics, stating: "He (Trump) is trying to arm-twist India, but he's not going to succeed. What he is succeeding in doing is uniting the BRICS countries, bringing India closer to Russia, to China, to Brazil, to other major economies in the world. He is isolating the United States from the world economy because these tariffs are making the US industry less competitive."
India is also actively pursuing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the EU, UK, and other regions to diversify its export markets and reduce reliance on the US. Simultaneously, ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement with the US have encountered delays after a scheduled visit by American trade officials was postponed.