The executive orders signed by U.S. President Donald Trump last week to levy a 25 percent tariff on India, coupled with an additional 25 percent tariff announced on 6 August for its purchases of Russian oil, have posed new hurdles to the ongoing fast-track negotiations on an India-U.S. bilateral trade agreement (BTA).

The additional 25 percent tariff, which will come into effect from 27 August if India continues to buy oil from Russia, will effectively bring the total tariff on…