Trump can impose 100% tariffs on India in 10 days:US ambassador drops bomb; which sectors are at risk?

US President Donald Trump is expected to make a decision within the next 10 days on sanctions provisions that could affect countries buying Russian oil and gas, including India, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said at the Bloomberg New Economy forum. Gor noted that the president had not imposed sanctions on any country under the law so far and was required to make a determination within 30 days of its passage. Gor added that the legislation passed by the US Congress gives the president authority to impose sanctions on countries involved in buying Russian oil and gas or helping evade sanctions, but stressed that the measures were not directed at any particular country. The US ambassador added that the goal is not to punish anyone. The goal is to try to bring an end to this war, and he added that Trump was expected to make a determination over the next few days. Gor added that the administration understood that countries could not immediately stop their energy supplies, but wanted to work with partners to gradually reduce funds flowing towards the war. Trump had on 18 September signed the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which may impose steep levies on Moscow and its top energy buyers. What about the India-US trade deal? India and the US have been working on the trade deal for quite a time now. The ambassador exuded confidence that India and the US would conclude the trade deal, saying the two sides had made substantial progress despite the complexity of the negotiations. US reconsidered trade agreement after SC’s verdict He said the negotiations had been underway for around a year and a half and were moving at an unusually fast pace compared with other trade agreements.
Gor said the administration had to revisit parts of the earlier trade arrangement after the US Supreme Court ruled the law underpinning it unconstitutional. How much tax America imposes on India? India has really gone through a rollercoaster ride since 2 April 2025. India has faced a series of changing tariffs from the US. After all the ‘Trump Tariff’ tantrums and the US Supreme Court’s striking down of the reciprocal tariffs, the final import duty to be levied on Indian exports to America probably stands at 15%. But if the current terms and conditions of the India-US interim trade deal remain unchanged as claimed by US President Donald Trump, then India may have to pay 18% tariffs. India-US trade size: The US is India’s largest trading partner. In 2025-26, the total trade between the two countries was worth ₹13.37 lakh crore. India exports more goods to the US than it imports, resulting in a trade surplus for India. Potential impact of Trump’s 100% tariffs on India: Indian exporters have said that the likely impact can be assessed only after Washington announces the tariff rate, product coverage and implementation schedule, industry-wise. Industry experts had earlier expressed serious concerns regarding potential impact of punitive tariffs on Indian exports. Tariffs to severely disrupt India’s exports to America Such duties, if imposed, could severely disrupt India’s exports to America, said exporters, PTI had reported earlier. Uncertain environment haunts more than tariffs FIEO, president, SC Ralhan had said many engineering sector exporters have significant businesses in America and the US should factor in these aspects before taking any decision on new duties. Sharing similar views, Mumbai-based exporter and CMD of Technocraft Industries Sharad Saraf had said that more than tariffs, the uncertain environment impacts more. Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) Chairman Mohit Singla had earlier said that the US move is a cause of “major worry” for Indian exporters. The US is the single-largest market for India’s textile and apparel exporters, making the sector particularly vulnerable to any additional tariffs, industry body Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) had said in a press release, according to ANI. This can severely impact India’s textile and apparel exports, added the industry body. How much is India’s textile sectors exposed to US market? India’s overall textile and apparel exports rose 6.39% in US dollar terms in August 2026 from the same period last year, with textile exports increasing 13.03% while apparel exports declined 2.74%. During April-August 2026, textile exports grew 6.94%, while apparel exports fell 9.10%, leaving cumulative textile and apparel exports marginally lower by 0.24% year-on-year. India’s main imports from US: