New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- In a sharp escalation of trade tensions, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports, taking the total duty on affected goods to 50%.

The White House said the move was a direct response to India's continued imports of Russian oil, which the U.S. claims undermine Western sanctions and embolden Moscow's war economy.

The announcement came within 24 hours of his warning during an interview with a private television channel, where he had said he would "double down" on India if New Delhi did not end its purchases of Russian crude.

"I find that the government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing oil from the Russian Federation," Tru...