New Delhi, August 8, 2025 – India has reportedly halted plans to purchase US-made weapons as a countermeasure to the additional 25% tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump on Indian goods, effective August 7, 2025. This decision, which raises the total duty on Indian exports to 50%, was cited as a response to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, which Trump claims supports Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
According to Reuters, India had planned to send Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Washington to announce deals, including a $3.6 billion agreement for six Boeing P8I reconnaissance aircraft. However, the trip has been canceled, and the arms purchases are on hold pending clarity on tariffs and US-India bilateral ties. One official indicated that while no written instructions have been issued to pause the deals, there is “no forward movement at least for now.”
India’s defence ministry dismissed the Reuters report as “false and fabricated,” stating that procurement processes are progressing as per standard procedures. The ministry emphasized that talks with the US on defence purchases have not been paused.
India, the world’s second-largest arms importer, has traditionally relied on Russia for its defence needs but has increasingly turned to Western suppliers like France, Israel, and the US, partly due to Russia’s constrained export capacity amid the Ukraine conflict. Despite the tariff tensions, the broader US-India defence partnership, including intelligence sharing and joint military exercises, remains unaffected, according to an Indian official.
India has expressed openness to reducing Russian oil imports if comparable prices are offered elsewhere, including from the US. However, political challenges, including rising anti-US sentiment and Trump’s tariff threats, have complicated India’s shift from Russian to US arms. Moscow has recently pitched advanced defence technologies like the S-500 missile system to India, though Indian officials say there is no immediate need for new Russian arms purchases. India’s long-standing military ties with Russia necessitate continued support for existing systems.
The tariff escalation follows strained US-India relations, with India rebutting Trump’s claims of brokering a May 2025 ceasefire with Pakistan. India’s Ministry of External Affairs called the tariffs “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable,” noting that other nations importing Russian oil have not faced similar penalties.
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