U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that India has offered to cut its tariffs 'to nothing,' although he described the current trade relationship as 'a totally one-sided disaster.'
Last week, the U.S. enacted 50% tariffs on goods imported from India, which includes a hefty penalty for India's continued oil purchases from Russia.
While India has not responded to Trump’s assertions directly, the exchange of sharp words regarding trade has caused diplomatic ties to reach an all-time low.
Trump's remarks come as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi participates in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, where he met with notable leaders including Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.
According to Washington, India’s oil imports from Russia have indirectly supported the latter's military actions in Ukraine. Trump emphasized that India primarily buys military supplies and oil from Russia instead of the U.S., suggesting a history of trade imbalance favoring India.
In previous statements, India's government has criticized the recent tariffs as 'unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.' Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal asserted that India will maintain strong economic relations without appearing weak.
Trump further noted that the U.S. does little business with India compared to the substantial amount of goods purchased by the U.S. from India, describing the existing trade setup as historically one-sided.
Despite the tariff challenges, India's growing economy faces potential risks to exports and overall growth, as the U.S. was until recently India's largest trading partner.
At the SCO summit, Modi's interactions with Putin have caught attention amid these ongoing trade discussions, with Modi describing their meeting as 'insightful.'
