President Trump claims India has agreed to lower tariffs following recent scrutiny. He announced that reciprocal tariffs against countries with high levies will take effect April 2, asserting that India imposes excessive tariffs that hinder American exports. This move aims to rectify longstanding trade imbalances.
On Friday, United States President Donald Trump asserted that India has agreed to reduce tariffs due to increased scrutiny of their practices. He stated that reciprocal tariffs against countries imposing high levies on American products are set to be implemented starting April 2. Trump emphasized the significant tariffs imposed by India and criticized their trade practices, stating, “India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You can’t even sell anything in India…They have agreed, by the way; they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done.”
Trump reiterated that the United States has been adversely impacted by unfair trade practices globally, mentioning, “I had it stopped in my first term and we’re going to really stop it now because it has been very unfair.” He indicated that the current tariffs are temporary and minor, with substantial reciprocal tariffs expected to alter the trade landscape significantly. He remarked, “Our country from an economic standpoint, a financial standpoint and a trade standpoint, has been absolutely ripped off by almost every country in the world.”
The President pointed to the disproportionality in tariff structures, stating that if countries charge the U.S. excessively, the U.S. will reciprocate equally. He noted, “Because we’ve been ripped off by every country in the world, and now whatever they charge us, they charge us 150-200% (and) we charge them nothing.” Trump expressed anticipation for the changes to take effect on April 2, declaring, “So we look forward to April 2. I’ve been looking forward to that date for a long time. And that’ll be something very big.”
In prior comments, Trump has referred to countries like India as “tariff kings” and criticized their high auto tariffs, which often exceed 100 percent. During previous appearances, including a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump recognized the challenges of selling in India due to significant trade barriers, stating, “It’s very hard to sell into India because they have trade barriers, very strong tariffs.”
In summary, President Trump has highlighted India’s substantial tariffs, suggesting that recent exposure of these practices has prompted India to agree to reductions. He intends to enforce reciprocal tariffs beginning April 2 to address the perceived inequity in trade practices. Trump’s remarks reflect a strong position against countries he believes have unfair advantages in trade negotiations, further emphasizing the challenges American businesses face in overseas markets.
Original Source: www.indiatvnews.com
