India ‘very strong’ on tariffs, reciprocal measures ‘fair’, says Donald Trump

United States President Donald Trump on Thursday said that India had been strong on tariffs and the so-called reciprocal measures he was introducing were “very fair”.

Trump made the comments during a press conference alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House.

“India has been very strong on tariffs,” said the US president. “I do not blame them necessarily but it’s a different way of doing business. It’s hard to sell into India because they have trade barriers, very strong tariffs. Right now we are a reciprocal nation…Whatever India charges [us], we are charging them…which I think is a very fair way.”

He added that he wanted to introduce reciprocal tariffs on several countries, including India, in his first term between 2017 and 2021, but delayed it because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We felt that now it’s finally time after 45 or 50 years of abuse,” he said. “This isn’t [just] India, this is among a lot of nations. The European Union is very very difficult for us.”

The US president said that the tariffs imposed by India “no longer matter” because “whatever they charge [we reciprocate]”.

Trump added that he had told New Delhi during his first term that the tariffs were too high but that he was unable to get a…

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