- By Priyanka Koul
- Fri, 08 Aug 2025 05:00 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Trump Tariffs India: India has hit the brakes on its plans to buy new US-made weapons and aircraft, in what appears to be the first clear signal of displeasure after fresh tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump strained bilateral ties to their lowest point in decades. According to three Indian officials cited by news agency Reuters, the decision marks a significant cooling in defence engagement. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s planned visit to Washington has also been cancelled.
Reuters reported that India had been preparing to send Rajnath Singh to the US in the coming weeks to announce some of these purchases. “That trip has been cancelled,” two of the officials told the agency.
The diplomatic setback follows Trump’s August 6 decision to impose an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods. The US president described the move as “punishment for Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil,” claiming that such imports meant “the country was funding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.” The new duties pushed total tariffs on some Indian exports to even higher levels, intensifying trade tensions between the two nations.
Trump Tariffs India: Key Deals Put on Hold
US President Donald Trump described it as “punishment for Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil,” which he claimed meant “the country was funding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.” This latest duty hike pushed the total tariff on Indian exports to 50 per cent one of the steepest rates applied to any US trading partner.
While Trump is known for making sudden reversals on tariffs, Indian officials say talks with Washington are still ongoing. One source told Reuters that the defence purchases could still move forward once New Delhi has “clarity on tariffs and the direction of bilateral ties,” but “just not as soon as they were expected to.” Another official said no written order had been issued to halt the deals, suggesting the decision could be reversed quickly, though there was “no forward movement at least for now.”
Both India’s defence ministry and the Pentagon declined to respond to Reuters queries. New Delhi, which has cultivated close strategic ties with the US in recent years, has argued that it is being unfairly singled out, noting that Washington and its European allies continue trading with Moscow when it suits their interests.
According to Reuters, this is the first time it is being reported that discussions over India’s planned purchases of Stryker combat vehicles from General Dynamics Land Systems and Javelin anti-tank missiles from Raytheon and Lockheed Martin have been put on hold because of the tariffs. Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had jointly announced in February their intent to pursue procurement and joint production of these systems.
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had also been scheduled to announce the purchase of six Boeing P8I reconnaissance aircraft and related support systems for the Indian Navy during his now-cancelled US visit, two sources revealed. Negotiations for the proposed $3.6 billion deal were said to be at an advanced stage. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics referred requests for comment to the Indian and US governments, while Raytheon did not respond.