New Delhi: In what could be more cause for worry for India, US President Donald Trump has announced on social media that he will slap 25% tariffs on countries doing business with Tehran “effective immediately”, amidst protests in the country which have met with a crackdown according to reports.India is among Iran’s five largest trading partners.New Delhi has not reacted to Trump’s announcement. Indian official sources on Tuesday (January 13) evening suggested that India’s relatively low share among Iran’s imports of 1.2%, alongside Tehran not being among New Delhi’s top 50 trade partners, may spare it from the brunt of the US move, even as the US president has not signalled any intention to only target the Iranians’ largest business partners.China, which is Iran’s largest trading partner, has vowed to “firmly protect its legitimate and lawful rights and interests”, while neither Tehran nor its other major partners including the United Arab Emirates and Turkey have issued a response.Trump’s move is the latest example of his use of tariffs as a tool in the global stage and could also affect Iran’s larger trade partners in addition to other countries like Iraq, Brazil and Russia.“Any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday.“This Order is final and conclusive. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added. However, it remains unclear whether an executive order has been issued to this effect.The Associated Press reports that the White House has declined to offer further comment or details about the president’s tariff announcement.India’s Embassy in Tehran notes in its official website that the two countries are “important trade partners”. Major Indian exports to Iran are basmati rice, tea, sugar, fresh fruits and drugs/pharmaceuticals. India imports apples, pistachios, dates and kiwi from Iran.Figures of the Union commerce ministry show that trade of $1.68 billion took place between Iran and India in 2024-2025, with Indian exports worth $1.24 billion and imports at $440 million.But Indian official sources pointed out that India has a relatively small share of 1.2% among Iran’s imports – as compared to the UAE’s 30%, China’s 26%, Turkey’s 16% and the EU’s 9% – as of 2024 and that both sides’ overall business last year of around $1.6 billion was just 0.15% of New Delhi’s total trade.“India’s trade value with Iran is expected to further go down” in the ongoing fiscal, they said, arguing that Trump’s announced tariff “is likely to have minimal impact on India” even as the president’s post only mentions “any country doing business with” Tehran.India’s tariff imposition by the US is one of the highest at 50% – 25% of this is a “punitive” measure over its purchase of Russian crude oil. There is also the spectre of a US Bill which proposes that any country trading in Russian-origin oil, gas and uranium will face a “punitive tariff” of at least 500% relative to the value of these goods and services.The two sides have been in trade talks since February last year but are yet to hammer out a deal.Last year, the US had revoked the sanctions waiver for Iran’s Chabahar port, ending a seven-year exception that had allowed India to operate the facility as a route to Afghanistan and Central Asia. However, the external affairs ministry later said in October that Washington had granted India a six-month exemption from the move.In May 2024, India had signed a long-term lease agreement granting state-run India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) the right to equip and operate the port for ten years.Meanwhile, Beijing responded to Trump’s announcement by saying that China will protect its interests in the face of any tariffs.“China’s position on the tariffs issue is very clear. Tariff wars have no winners. China will firmly protect its legitimate and lawful rights and interests,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters.Although China has purchased more Russian oil than India, Washington did not impose a similar ‘punitive’ levy on Beijing, with the Chinese using access to rare earths sought by the US as leverage during trade talks.Trump in his first term had also targeted Huawei for allegedly selling technology to Iran, and Canadian authorities’ arrest of Meng Wenzhou, the daughter of the Chinese firm’s founder, at Washington’s behest in January 2019 sparked a hostage crisis and retaliation by Beijing, souring ties till the remainder of the president’s tenure.This article was updated with additional information at 11:53 PM on January 13.