Washington: US President Donald Trump slammed “tariff king” India for imposing “tremendously high” tariffs on American products such as Harley Davidson motorcycles, and said he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was going to reduce the duties “substantially”.
Trump’s charges against alleged high Indian tariffs, for the second time in a few days, came during his White House news conference where he announced a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada.
Describing India as a “tariff king”, Trump reiterated his allegations that New Delhi had a high tariff rate on various American products, and claimed New Delhi wanted to have a trade deal with the US primarily to keep him “happy”.
As he announced the key elements of the US-Mexico and Canada Agreement or USMCA, the President listed out trade deals that are under negotiations, including with Japan, the European Union, China and India.
Alleging that India imposed “tremendously high tariffs” on American products, Trump raked up the issue of Harley Davidson motorcycles. “When we send Harley Davidson motorcycles, and other things to India, they charge us very very high tariffs. I have spoken to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and he is going to reduce them substantially.”
Noting that the tariff on motorcycles was 100%, the president said it was like a barrier.
India had already reduced it substantially, but it was still too high, Trump said, adding, noone would buy it at such high price.
Trump also said India wanted to have a trade deal with the US and the negotiations were being carried out by US Trade Representatives Robert Lighthizer.
When US officials asked Indians why they wanted to have a trade deal with America, Indian officials told them that they wanted to keep the US President happy, Trump told reporters. “India, which is the tariff king, they called us and they said, ‘we want to start negotiations immediately’.”.
He also referred to a conversation that Lighthizer had with Indian officials.
“When Bob Lighthizer said, ‘What happened? He would never do this.’ They said, ‘No, we want to keep your president happy.’ Isn’t that nice? Isn’t that nice? It’s true.”
On Saturday, Trump had said that India wanted to have a trade deal with the US because it did not want him to impose tariffs on their products.
Trump’s remarks came days after Assistant US Trade Representative Mark Linscott returned from India where he had detailed discussions with senior Indian officials on bilateral trade and a possible trade deal between the two countries.
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.