WASHINGTON:

US tariffs of 50 percent took effect Wednesday on many Indian products, doubling an existing duty as President Donald Trump sought to punish New Delhi for buying Russian oil.

India has criticized the levies as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable," with its export body calling on Wednesday for government intervention to assuage fears of heavy job cuts.

Trump has raised pressure on India over the energy transactions, a key source of revenue for Moscow's war in Ukraine, as part of a campaign to end the conflict.

The latest salvo strains US-India ties, giving New Delhi fresh incentive to improve relations with Beijing.

But US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business on Wednesday that Trump had good ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I think at the end

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