Washington: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that India offered him a “no tariff” deal following Washington’s decision to raise duties on Indian goods. “India was the most highly tariffed nation in the world, and you know what, they’ve offered me no tariffs in India anymore. If I didn’t have tariffs, they would never make that offer,” he said while speaking on The Scott Jennings Radio Show.
He also repeated that he believes tariffs were essential in rebalancing trade. “China kills us with tariffs, India kills us with tariffs, Brazil kills us with tariffs. I’ve understood tariffs better than any human beings in the world,” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump warned that the US has not yet introduced “Phase-2” and “Phase-3” tariffs on countries still trading with Russia. He said that secondary sanctions on India were a direct action against Russia, claiming “that cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia”.
He said this when asked about why he had taken no action against Russia after assuming the Oval Office in January of this year. He also called India the largest buyer of Russian oil after China, indicating that New Delhi could face further penalties if it continues energy imports from Moscow. While the US has temporarily suspended additional tariffs on China until November, India has been hit with steep levies.
A 25 per cent tariff was imposed earlier this month, and an additional 25 per cent secondary sanction took effect on August 27, bringing the total to 50 per cent on Indian goods. Trump further mentioned that these steps amounted to direct action against Russia, as they target its oil exports through major buyers.
“Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India, the largest purchaser outside China, they are almost equal. Would you say there was no action? That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia, you call that no action? I haven’t done Phase-2 yet or Phase-3,” Trump told reporters during a joint press conference with the Polish President at the White House.
The US president recalled his earlier warning that India would face “big problems” if it continued to purchase Russian oil. “Two weeks ago, I said if India buys, India has got big problems, and that’s what happens,” Trump added.
On Monday, Trump described the bilateral trade relationship as a “one-sided disaster,” claiming that India had benefited disproportionately over the decades. He argued that while India sells a “tremendous amount of goods” to the US, American companies have struggled to enter the Indian market due to high duties.
“They have now offered to cut their tariffs to nothing, but it’s getting late. Until now, it was a totally one-sided relationship for many decades,” he said.
With inputs from ANI
ALSO READ: Trump Defends 50% Tariff, Calls Ties ‘One-Sided’ – ‘We Get Along With India Very Well, But…’
