Trump Defends 50% Tariffs on Indian Goods, Calls Trade Ties ‘One-Sided’

International News: US President Donald Trump has decided to impose a 50 percent import duty on goods coming from India. Addressing the media from the White House, he said that relations between India and America have been imbalanced for a long time. Trump alleges that India has been imposing the highest tariff in the world on American products, while America has never shown that much strictness.

Citing an example, Trump said that India sends goods in large quantities to America and starts selling them there. Due to this, many goods are not made in America. He called it harmful for American industry and employment. According to the President, the impact of products coming from India is clearly visible on the local industry, while American companies have difficulty working in India.

Harley-Davidson issue

During the press conference, Trump again mentioned the famous bike company Harley-Davidson. He said that in India, a duty of up to 200 percent was once imposed on it. The company was forced to set up a factory in India so that it could avoid high taxes. Trump said that such policies have discouraged American companies, and this is why America is now adopting the tariff policy.

Objection to buying oil from Russia

US officials say that another reason for doubling the tariff on India is the purchase of cheap crude oil from Russia. The US has imposed several economic sanctions on Russia amid the Ukraine war. In such a situation, Washington is not looking good at India buying crude oil from Russia. Earlier, a 25 percent duty was imposed on India, which has now been increased to 50 percent.

Promoting American industry

Trump argues that his policy will strengthen American industry. He claimed that many big companies are now coming to America and setting up production units. According to him, many companies from China, Mexico, and Canada want to produce in the American market so that they can avoid tariffs. The President said, "When a company produces in America, it does not have to pay any duty. This is the reason why more investment is happening now."

India-US trade agreement

Meanwhile, India has also continued talks with the US. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that talks are going on between the two countries on a bilateral trade agreement (BTA). Five rounds of meetings have been held since March. However, after the tariff hike, US representatives have postponed the meeting scheduled for August 25 in New Delhi. No decision has been taken yet on the next date.