Washington D.C. – Former โPresident Donald Trump has sharply criticized โIndia‘s โขtrade practices, labeling the โcurrent US-India โtrade relationship “one-sided” and โคciting “tremendous tariffs” imposedโค by India.The remarks, madeโ recently, reignited tensions over a stalled bilateral โขtrade agreement โeven as Indiaโ remains hopeful of a deal by November.
Trump โคspecifically referenced the impactโค of Indian โคtariffsโข onโค American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson, a frequent โexample he has used to illustrate perceived โฃunfair tradeโข practices.โค He did notโ detail specific โtariff rates.โ
The criticism comes as India and the USโฃ have beenโค negotiating a โbilateral trade agreement (BTA) as March, completing fiveโ rounds of talks before the sixth, โscheduled for August โ25, was โฃdeferred โฃfollowing recent US tariff hikes. Washington is seeking greater accessโข to India’s agricultureโ and dairy markets, while New Delhi is pushing for tariff reductions from the US.
India’s Commerce and Industry โฃMinister Piyush Goyal has stated Indiaโ is prepared for a free trade agreement โคbut will notโ “bowโค down” or โappear weakโฃ in โคthe โface of โdiscrimination. He expressed optimism โขon Tuesday that trade discussions would soon resume โat full pace, โคdespite recent geopolitical challenges.
The โฃUS tariff increases are part ofโ a broader strategy โฃemployed during the Trump management, utilizing duties asโฃ a โคpolicyโ tool and โdisrupting global trade. The additional levies on India were introduced, in part, to discourage purchasesโฃ of โขRussian crude oil โคamid the war in Ukraine.โข
Adding complexity to the situation,โข a divided โฃUS appeals court โrecently ruled that most of Trump’s tariffs are illegal, though they โremain โin effect pending a potential appeal toโฃ the Supreme Court by October โ14.
