'Once in a generation opportunity, crisis must be...': Amitabh Kant after Trump doubles tariff on India

Amitabh Kant 

Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant termed the situation arising from Trump's relentless tariff onslaught as "once in a generation opportunity" for India.

Reacting to US' additional 25 per cent tariff on all Indian imports, on top of an existing 25 per cent duty, taking the total to 50 per cent from August 27, the career bureaucrat said: " Trump has provided us a once in a generation opportunity to take the next big leap on reforms. Crisis must be fully utilised."

On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced an additional 25 percent tariff on India over its import of Russian oil, taking the total to 50 percent. The move caught most experts by surprise as New Delhi was one of the first to start trade negotiations with Washington. Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have repeatedly admired each other in public statements and called each other friends. Brazil is the only other country facing tariffs as high as India’s.

Terming the US decision “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interest. “The US has in recent days targeted India’s oil imports from Russia.

Trump has provided us a once in a generation opportunity to take the next big leap on reforms. Crisis must be fully utilised.

Related Stories

• India proves emerging economies need not follow carbon intensive path, says environment minister
• India AI Summit: AI must be accessible, affordable and accountable; India needs indigenous AI, says ...
• Budget 2026 fiscally prudent, private sector must lead growth, says Amitabh Kant

— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) August 6, 2025

“The US has in recent days targeted India’s oil imports from Russia. We have already made clear our position on these issues, including the fact that our imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India,” Jaiswal said in a statement.

The new tariff structure, announced late Wednesday, will come into effect after a 21-day grace period, starting August 27, 2025. While this window leaves room for a negotiated resolution, the options appear limited for both sides.

In a post on Truth Social, his social media platform, Trump wrote, "Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country. Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE - ALL THINGS NOT GOOD!"