Washington: US President Donald Trump has announced that the first set of tariff letters, expected to impact multiple countries, will be delivered on Monday, July 7, 12:00 pm Eastern Time (9:30 pm IST).
These letters will contain revised reciprocal trade terms and new tariffs set to take effect from August 1 onwards. The announcement comes in the middle of tense trade negotiations with key partners, including India.
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "I am pleased to announce that the UNITED STATES TARIFF Letters, and/or Deals, with various Countries from around the World, will be delivered starting 12:00 P.M. (Eastern), Monday, July 7th.”
Have a look at his post here:
10% Extra Tariffs on BRICS-Aligned Nations
Trump also warned of an additional 10% tariff on any country "aligning themselves with the anti-American policies of BRICS", that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. This comes after criticism from BRICS leaders, who called US tariff measures “illegal and arbitrary” and blamed them for disrupting global trade.
The White House had earlier delayed the rollout of the previously announced reciprocal tariffs, first introduced in April, pushing their implementation to August after a 90-day pause. Trump said the delay was to allow space for concluding ongoing trade talks. However, with mounting tensions, this new 10% levy is likely to spark further diplomatic friction.
India Holds Firm Amid Tariff Threats
India and the US are reportedly nearing a final decision on a long-discusses mini trade deal, with a resolution expected in the next 24 to 46 hours, according to a report by CNBC-TV18. The deal may include lower tariff quotas for Indian exports of labour-intensive goods and concessional duty rates on select American farm produce such as pecan nuts and blueberries.
Despite the pressure, India has stood firm. Union Minister Piyush Goyal has maintained that “national interest comes first” and India is not going to rush into any agreement based on arbitrary deadlines.
According to a PTI report, sources revealed that India had made its red lines clear and the ball was in Washington's court. Notably, the 10% tariff by the US remains in effect, even as a 26% recirocal tariff on Indian goods, announced in April, remains under temporary suspension.
