Will US remove tariffs on India? Treasury Secretary hints at ‘path’ after calling 25% levy ‘huge success’ | World News

While the US has hinted that 25% tariffs on India may be lifted, the Treasury Secretary described the tax as a “major success” that led to the “collapse” of India’s purchases of Russian oil.

Speaking about the tariffs, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he “envisions there is a way to remove them (tariffs) right now”, signaling a potential shift in US trade policy towards India.

US calls tariffs ‘huge success’

The Treasury Secretary described the 25 per cent tariffs on India as a major success and claimed that they had successfully pressured New Delhi to drastically reduce its purchases of Russian crude oil.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s remarks come at a time when the US has imposed a 50% tariff on most Indian exports. Washington first imposed a reciprocal tariff of 25% on April 2, 2025, due to unfair trade practices and India’s large trade surplus; then, on August 6, 2025, it added another 25% penalty through Executive Order 14329, effective August 27, explicitly targeting New Delhi’s continued purchase of discounted Russian oil during the Ukraine war.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that India’s purchase of Russian oil directly funds the Kremlin’s war machine. India defended its energy policy by asserting its sovereign right to source oil from the most advantageous suppliers to ensure the energy security of its 1.4 billion citizens.

Following the implementation of the tariffs, there were several rounds of meetings between America and India on the issue; but no results were reached.