US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a sweeping executive order imposing higher tariffs on several nations and the 27-member European Union, significantly escalating his administration’s global trade offensive.

The order, titled "Further Modifying The Reciprocal Tariff Rates", is set to take effect from August 7, seven days after its issuance, with rates going up to 41%.

India has been slapped with a 25 per cent "Reciprocal Tariff, Adjusted", one of the higher rates among key US trading partners. The White House justified the move by citing India’s “obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers,” persistent trade imbalances, and strong energy and defense ties with Russia.

While the initial tariff deadline was August 1, the implementation was deferred to August 7 to allow US Customs and Border Protection time to update its systems.

The extension reflects the govt’s need for more time to harmonise the tariff rates, according to a senior official who spoke to Associated Press reporters on condition of anonymity.