Mumbai, July 31 -- Indian stock markets opened sharply lower on Thursday, witnessing a major sell-off after US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, along with penalties on purchases of Russian crude and defence equipment.

The move has triggered widespread concern among investors and raised fears of a slowdown in exports and overall business sentiment.

At the opening bell, the NIFTY 50 index dropped to 24,642.25, falling by 212.80 points or 0.86 per cent. The BSE Sensex also declined sharply, opening at 80,695.50 after losing 786.36 points or 0.97 per cent.

The bearish sentiment extended across the broader market indices as well, with Nifty Midcap 100 falling more than 1 per cent and Nifty Smallcap 100 ...