News Brief
India Denies Trump’s Claim Of Tariff Cuts, Says 'No Commitment' Made On Reducing Import Duties For US Good
New Delhi declines the claim of Trump that it has made a commitment to reduce tariffs on US products
India has not committed to reducing import duties on US products, despite US President Donald Trump’s recent claim that New Delhi had agreed to “cut their tariffs way down”, reported The New Indian Express.
Trump has repeatedly criticised India’s tariff policies, calling them “massive” and claiming that selling American goods in India is “almost restrictive.” He recently stated that India had now agreed to lower tariffs after his administration exposed the issue.
However, Indian officials have refuted this claim. A parliamentary panel was informed that no commitments have been made to the US on the matter. Instead, the government has sought time until September to address Washington’s concerns.
India’s Commerce Secretary, Sunil Barthwal, clarified that New Delhi and Washington are working towards a mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement that focuses on long-term cooperation rather than just immediate tariff adjustments.
During his recent visit to the White House, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed that India and the US would finalise a trade agreement “very soon” that would benefit both nations.
Trump has introduced reciprocal tariffs on multiple countries, including India, set to take effect from 2 April. He warned that India would not be exempt from these new measures, emphasizing his administration’s tough stance on global trade.
While trade tensions persist, India and the US continue to maintain strong economic and strategic ties, particularly in defense. Washington has made billions of dollars in military hardware sales to India in recent years.
