In a move that has injected fresh tension into US-India trade relations, US President Donald Trump announced that a 25% tariff would be imposed on Indian goods starting August 1. The statement, issued via Trump’s Truth Social platform, accused India of maintaining high tariff barriers and continuing its defense and energy ties with Russia-both of which the former president deemed unacceptable in light of US strategic interests.

India, however, wasted no time in crafting a measured yet firm response. Through a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce, New Delhi vowed to protect its domestic economic interests, particularly those of farmers, entrepreneurs, and small and medium-sized enterprises, while reaffirming its commitment to a fair and mutually beneficial trade agreement with Washington.

“India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement over the last few months. We remain committed to that objective,” the statement read.

The ministry further underscored India’s recently concluded free trade agreement with the United Kingdom as an example of its broader strategy, emphasizing that any trade deal-be it with the US or another global power-must take into account the unique needs of its domestic industries.

Trump’s post on July 30 reignited concerns over his transactional approach to diplomacy. “While India is our friend, we have,........

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