Trump to Send Tariff Letters Today, Threatens BRICS Allies Including India With Extra 10% Levy
US President Donald Trump is set to escalate global trade tensions today, announcing he will send out formal tariff letters to numerous countries and directly threatening to slap an “ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff” on any nation aligning with the BRICS bloc, which includes India.
The announcement, made on Trump’s Truth Social platform, comes at a critical moment for India, as negotiators are reportedly in the final hours of closing a mini-trade deal with the US to avert steep new levies.
Trump stated that the first set of tariff letters and potential trade deals will be delivered starting at 12:00 PM Eastern Time (9:30 PM IST) on Monday. This formalizes the new reciprocal tariffs that are now scheduled to take effect from August 1.
In a direct and provocative new threat, Trump explicitly targeted the BRICS grouping (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), whose leaders recently criticised his protectionist policies.
“Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff,” Trump declared, adding there would be “no exceptions.”
This move is seen as a direct retaliation to the recent BRICS declaration, which described US tariff measures as “illegal and arbitrary” and warned they were damaging the global economy.
The threat casts a long shadow over the ongoing trade talks between New Delhi and Washington. According to reports, India and the US are on the verge of finalizing a mini-trade deal, with a decision expected in the next 24 to 48 hours. This deal is crucial to avoid a 26% reciprocal tariff that the US announced in April but had temporarily suspended.
Sources indicate that a potential deal may see India granting concessions on some American agricultural products like pecan nuts and blueberries in exchange for lower tariffs on Indian labour-intensive exports.
However, the Indian government has maintained a firm stance. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently stated that India will not be rushed by deadlines and that national interest remains paramount. Officials have indicated that India has “drawn its red lines,” particularly on sensitive agricultural and dairy sectors, and that the “ball is now in Washington’s court.”
The new tariffs, initially slated for July 9, were pushed back by Trump to August 1 to allow more time for negotiations. Today’s letters are expected to end the ambiguity and formalize the final “take it or leave it” offers to around 12 countries, setting the stage for a volatile period in global trade.
