Trump administration defends India tariffs in Supreme Court, citing Ukraine peace

The Trump administration, in its appeal to the Supreme Court, stated that it imposed tariffs on India for buying Russian oil to establish peace in Ukraine. The appeal further stated that the tariffs on Indian goods were not only meant for dealing with a “preexisting national emergency regarding Russia's war in Ukraine” but are also a "crucial aspect" of Trump’s peace initiative for Ukraine.

The development comes after the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, in a 7-to-4 ruling, said the sweeping tariffs imposed by Trump on countries around the world are illegal. The court also gave time to the administration time till October 14 to file a petition for a writ of certiorari in the Supreme Court.

Earlier, Trump had slapped 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs on India over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil, which, along with the 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs, pushed the total rate of US tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent. India has described the move as “unjustified,” pointing out that if China were the largest buyer of Russian oil.

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‘Preexisting national emergency’

“ The President recently authorised IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act) tariffs against India for purchasing Russian energy products, to deal with a preexisting national emergency regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine, as a crucial aspect of his push for peace in that war-torn country,” stated the Trump administration in its 251-page appeal to the Supreme Court, submitted on Wednesday.

The appeal further stated that the President and Cabinet think that the tariffs played a key role in promoting peace and economic prosperity, adding that in case the tariffs are revoked, it will expose the US to trade retaliation without necessary defences and push the country to the verge of financial ruin.

“The President and his Cabinet officials have determined that the tariffs are promoting peace and unprecedented economic prosperity, and that the denial of tariff authority would expose our nation to trade retaliation without effective defences and thrust America back to the brink of economic catastrophe,” stated the appeal.

Also Read: Trump backtracks, calls ties with China, Russia, North Korea ‘very good’

‘Tariffs ensured trade deals favouring US’

It further stated that it was due to the tariffs, six major trading partners and the 27-nation European Union have already entered into framework deals with the United States, accepting tariff arrangements heavily recalibrated in America's favour and agreeing to make approximately USD 2 trillion of purchases and investment in the US economy.

The appeal mentions that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have described the tariffs as one of the country's top foreign policy priorities for the last several months” adding that the Trump aid has also said that removing the tariffs would lead to dangerous diplomatic embarrassment, expose the US to the risk of retaliation", and “interrupt ongoing negotiations mid-stream, undermining our ability to protect the national security and economic welfare of the American people.”

“That decision casts a pall of uncertainty upon ongoing foreign negotiations that the President has been pursuing through tariffs over the past five months, jeopardising both already-negotiated framework deals and ongoing negotiations,” added the appeal.

(With agency inputs)