Trump further stated that India and the US have reached an important agreement on energy that will restore the US as a leading supplier of oil and gas to India.
Published Feb 14, 2025 | 1:29 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 14, 2025 | 1:45 PM
Narendra Modi with Donald Trump. (X)
Synopsis: President Donald Trump said the US would impose reciprocal tariffs on India and remarked that Indian tariffs were on the higher side. He also announced that there would be an increase in India’s oil and gas purchases from the US.
Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there would be a “mega” partnership between India and the US, President Donald Trump said the tariffs by India were on the “high side” and the US would reciprocate it.
Trump made the statement while addressing the media after the bilateral meeting with Modi.
“It’s hard to sell on India because of the strong tariffs. Right now we are a reciprocal nation. Whatever India or any other nation charges (the US) we are going to charge back the same. Which, I think is very fair,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, when asked whether he had discussed with Trump the US court’s indictment on businessman Gautam Adani, Modi said leaders of countries never discuss matters concerning individuals.
“India is a democratic nation. And our culture is Vasudaiva Kudumbakam (world is a family). We consider the whole world as our family. I consider every single Indian as mine. And secondly, the heads of no two countries ever meet or sit or talk about such matters concerning certain individuals,” Modi said.
Trump said that he did not implement the reciprocal Tariff during his last tenure since the nations, including India, were battling the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It no longer matters to us what they charge us because we are going to charge them back the same. I had a discussion with India during my first term about the high charges and it was not successful. Now, whatever they charge, we charge. I think it’s actually fair for the people of the United States and India,” Trump said.
“India imposes a 30, 40, 60 and even 70 per cent tariff on so many goods, and in some cases, far more than that. As an example, a 70 per cent tariff on US cars going into India makes it pretty much impossible to sell those cars. Today, the US trade deficit with India is almost $100 billion, and Prime Minister Modi and I have agreed that we will be negotiating to address the long-running disparities,” Trump said at the India-US briefing.
Trump further stated that India and the US have reached an important agreement on energy that will restore the US as a leading supplier of oil and gas to India.
“India is also reforming its laws to welcome the US to nuclear technology at the highest level into the Indian market. This will bring safe, clean and affordable electricity to millions of Indians and tens of billions of dollars to the US civilian nuclear industry in India,” he said.
Meanwhile, Modi made several references to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan and said: “It’s Make India Great Again – Miga,” Modi said. “Maga plus Miga…[is a] Mega partnership for prosperity”.
Modi also said, “Our teams will work on concluding very soon, a mutually beneficial trade agreement.”
Trump acknowledged India’s recent move to reduce tariffs on select imports and said he would begin talks on disparities on trade and hoped to reach an agreement.
India’s simple average tariff on countries with the most-favoured-nation status stands at 17 percent, compared with the US that levies 3.3 percent, reported CNBC.
The US president signed a measure directing the US Trade Representative and Commerce secretary to propose new levies on a country-by-country basis to rebalance trade relations.
