US Ambassador to India Sergio Gore has given such a statement, regarding which it is believed that Donald Trump is going to impose 100% tariff on India. Sergio Gore has said that Trump can take a decision on this in the next 10 days. Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Delhi on Thursday, Sergio Gore said that this issue is a constant debate between India and the US. According to him, no final decision has yet been taken on imposing sanctions on any country, but a decision on this could come from the White House in the next 10 days.

Sergio Gore said that the US sanctions were not designed to target any one country, but were divided into three different categories. It is only a coincidence that India falls into one of these categories along with many other countries. He said the sanctions were not intended to punish a country, but to end the war and gradually cut off the economic aid it was receiving. He expressed hope that President Donald Trump will take a decision on this matter soon.

The full story behind Sergio Gore’s statement

In fact America wants Russia’s earnings to take a hit to make it harder for it to continue the war in Ukraine. Oil and gas is a major source of income for Russia and India buys essential crude oil from abroad. If cheap oil is available from Russia, India tries to reduce its price by buying it. India’s logic in this is clear that it has to meet the country’s energy needs and buy oil from where it gets better prices, but the US says that pressure should be increased on countries that buy oil from Russia.

India is also caught in this fight. There is talk of bringing such a law in the US, under which up to 100% tariffs can be imposed on countries that buy energy from Russia. Countries like India and China can be its target. The question for Trump now is whether he will use this weapon or just try to get his point across, because in international politics sometimes showing a gun is more effective than firing a gun. The threat of tariffs is similar.

Why does America need to put so much pressure on India?

A major reason for this is trade. America is a big market for India. According to data from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), the US bought about $103.8 billion worth of goods from India in 2025. Total trade in goods and services between the two countries was about $239.6 billion. Now think, if Indian goods become expensive in such a big market, who will suffer? Indian industrialists as well as American buyers. Businesses such as clothing, footwear, leather goods, carpets, diamonds, gems and marine products may face particular pressure. The livelihood of millions of people in India is linked to such industries.

Suppose a textile merchant receives an order of 10,000 shirts per month from America. After the tariff increases, the American buyer says, bro, your goods are becoming more expensive, I will buy from another country. In such a situation, the order was taken out of the trader’s hands. Now it will reduce its production. May prevent new recruitment. If necessary, he can also lay off employees, which means that Trump’s decision will not be limited to files and government statements. It can affect the pockets of people who have no direct connection with America.

What effect will it have on the common man?

The answer is different for everyone. If the business of exporting companies declines, the earnings and employment of employees may be affected. If trade tensions rise and foreign investors pull money out of India, the rupee may come under pressure. If the rupee weakens, crude oil, parts of electronic goods and other imports from abroad may become more expensive. The impact may be seen on the prices of some products in the future, but remember, the value of the rupee is not determined by tariffs alone.

Imagine a shirt made in India selling for $100 in America. Now if America imposes a 100% tariff on it, the tax alone will be $100, meaning the price of the shirt will double to $200. What will the American consumer do now? It is possible that he may leave the Indian shirt and buy a shirt from another country. This is where India’s problem begins, because if Indian goods become expensive in America, their sales there may decrease. If sales decrease, companies’ orders will decrease. If orders fall, factories will be cut and jobs will be at risk if work falls, meaning the heat from Trump’s decision sitting in the US can reach any ordinary worker working in India.

Even before this, America had increased the tariff on India

If America raises tariffs on India, it will not be the first time. Even in the year 2025, the US had earlier imposed an additional tariff of 25% on Indian goods. After this, an additional tariff of 25% was added on the issue of buying oil from Russia. Thus the total tariff on many Indian products has reached 50%. Its effect was also seen in some professions. According to reports based on Commerce Ministry data, India’s merchandise exports to the US fell by around 11.9% year-on-year to $5.46 billion in September 2025.

In August 2025, the export of marine products decreased by about 33% and the export of pearls, precious and semi-precious stones by about 54%, i.e., hurt and some businesses lost significantly, but even here it is important to look at the whole picture. India’s total exports have not declined every month. Some other markets and products provided support. So, it would not be right to say that the entire trade of India has stopped with the imposition of tariffs, but it can be understood that when the door of a big market like America becomes narrow, the road becomes difficult for Indian businessmen and if this time the case goes from 50% to 100%, it can be a challenge for some big businesses.

Trump doesn’t see tariffs as just taxes

Now the question is why would Trump hurt himself by taking such a decision? After all, American companies also need goods from India and American consumers also need to buy things. That’s because Trump sees tariffs not just as taxes but as leverage in negotiations. He wants other countries to trade on American terms and support American strategies against countries like Russia. By raising tariffs, he could send a message to India that it should change its stance on buying oil from Russia, but there are risks on both sides of the game.

If Indian goods become more expensive, American companies may also have to pay more. After all, the tariff money is not paid by the Indian government, but by the merchant importing the goods into the US to the American government. It is then decided whether it will bear the cost itself, pass it on to the customer or ask the Indian supplier to reduce the price, meaning on the one hand there will be pressure on Indian exporters, on the other hand there may be a threat of inflation in the US as well. That is why even for Trump this decision is not as easy as making a statement.

What can happen next?

There are broadly three ways. First, Trump should actually decide to impose tariffs up to 100%. If this happens, there may be a lot of pressure on the affected Indian exporters. Second, India should be exempted or the scope of tariffs should be limited. Third, both countries should find a middle way through dialogue. Talks are going on between India and the US regarding a trade agreement. In such a situation, it is also possible that the threat of tariffs will be used to push the agreement forward, but it is too early to accept any outcome as certain. The real picture will be clear from Trump’s official decision and the regulations issued thereafter.

So keep an eye on three things in the next 10 days, what is Trump’s decision, whether India gets any concessions or not and what happens on the trade agreement between the two countries, because one thing must always be remembered in international politics, big battles are fought by governments, but often the common man pays the price from his own pocket.