President Donald Trump recently stated that while he maintains a “very good relationship” with India, the “only problem” he has with the country is its high tariffs. He reiterated his threat to impose reciprocal tariffs on India, effective April 2.
In an interview with Breitbart News, a U.S.-based media outlet, Trump discussed the U.S.-India relationship. When asked about his recent summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he responded, “I have a very good relationship with India, but the only problem I have with them is they are one of the highest tariffing nations in the world. I believe they’ll probably lower those tariffs significantly, but on April 2, we will be charging them the same tariffs they charge us.”
Trump also commented on the India-Middle East-Europe-Economic Corridor (IMEC), describing it as a coalition of “wonderful nations” uniting to counteract other countries that pose a threat to U.S. trade interests. “We have a powerful group of partners in trade,” he remarked.
He went on to express frustration with certain trade relationships, noting that, “We do better in many ways frankly with our foes than we do with our friends. The ones that wouldn’t be as friendly to us in some cases treat us better than the ones that are supposed to be friendly, like the European Union, which treats us terribly on trade. India, on the other hand, is often seen as an ally.”
Trump has long criticized India for its high tariffs. He has previously referred to India as the “tariff king” and a “big abuser” of trade practices. During a joint press conference with Modi last month at the White House, Trump acknowledged India’s strong stance on tariffs, adding that while he didn’t blame them necessarily, the tariffs made it difficult to sell American products in India due to significant trade barriers.
Despite these tensions, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal informed a parliamentary panel in New Delhi on March 10 that trade negotiations between India and the U.S. are ongoing, with no agreement reached on tariffs yet.
India, meanwhile, has expressed its interest in deepening trade relations with the U.S., including efforts to reduce both tariff and non-tariff barriers under a potential bilateral trade agreement. During Modi’s visit to the U.S. last month, both countries announced plans to negotiate a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
