Imposed tariffs in opposition to India for buying Russian vitality merchandise: Trump administration tells U.S. Supreme Court

The Trump administration has advised the U.S. Supreme Court that it imposed tariffs in opposition to India for buying Russian vitality merchandise “to deal with a preexisting national emergency regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine” and as a “essential facet” of the President’s push for peace within the nation.

Mr. Trump has imposed 25% reciprocal tariffs on India and an extra 25% levies for Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil, bringing the entire duties imposed on India to 50%, with impact from August 27.

In a 251-page enchantment to the Supreme Court, submitted on Wednesday (September 3, 2025), the Trump administration stated that “the President not too long ago authorised IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act) tariffs in opposition to India for buying Russian vitality merchandise, to cope with a preexisting nationwide emergency relating to Russia’s struggle in Ukraine, as a vital facet of his push for peace in that war-torn nation.”

The enchantment additional states that the “stakes on this case couldn’t be greater. The President and his Cabinet officers have decided that the tariffs are selling peace and unprecedented financial prosperity, and that the denial of tariff authority would expose our nation to commerce retaliation with out efficient defences and thrust America again to the brink of financial disaster.”

It stated that as a consequence of IEEPA tariffs, six main buying and selling companions and the 27-nation European Union have already entered into framework offers with the United States, accepting tariff preparations closely recalibrated in America’s favour and agreeing to make roughly $2 trillion of purchases and funding within the U.S.’ economic system.

Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, in a 7-to-4 ruling, stated the sweeping tariffs imposed by Mr. Trump on international locations around the globe are unlawful, but additionally gave the administration time until October 14 to file a petition for a writ of certiorari within the Supreme Court, which the Trump administration did on Wednesday (September 4, 2025).

The enchantment states that based on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the tariffs “have been one of many nation’s high international coverage priorities for the final a number of months” and eradicating them “would result in harmful diplomatic embarrassment, expose the U.S. to the chance of retaliation”, and “interrupt ongoing negotiations mid-stream, undermining our skill to guard the nationwide safety and financial welfare of the American folks.”

Pointing to the “fractured, 7-4 resolution” of the appeals court docket declaring the President’s use of IEEPA tariffs as illegal, the Trump administration advised the court docket that “That resolution casts a pall of uncertainty upon ongoing international negotiations that the President has been pursuing by way of tariffs over the previous 5 months, jeopardising each already-negotiated framework offers and ongoing negotiations.”

Several of the Trump administration’s officers, together with Mr. Bessent and commerce advisor Peter Navarro, have stated that India’s purchases of Russian oil are financing the Russian struggle effort in Ukraine.

On Wednesday (September 4, 2025), Mr. Trump stated he put secondary sanctions on India for its purchases of Russian oil, “the most important purchaser exterior of China”, and indicated that he hasn’t performed “part two but or part three” but.

India has referred to as the tariffs imposed by the U.S. “unjustified and unreasonable”.

New Delhi stated that, like several main economic system, it is going to take all essential measures to safeguard its nationwide pursuits and financial safety.