Donald Trump threatens to impose reciprocal tariffs on India
US President-elect Donald Trump has said he plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on India, as the country levies "high tariff" on some American goods. Speaking at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, Trump highlighted the principle of reciprocity in international trade relations. "If they tax us, we tax them the same amount," he said while discussing a possible trade deal with China.
Trump highlights high tariffs by India, Brazil
Trump emphasized that countries such as India and Brazil levy high tariffs on certain US products. He called for a balanced approach in trade relations, asking "If somebody charges us — India, we don't have to talk about our own — if India charges us 100%, do we charge them nothing for the same?" The remark highlights his focus on fair trade practices between countries.
Commerce Secretary nominee echoes Trump's reciprocity stance
Trump's nominee for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also echoed the President-elect's stance on trade reciprocity. Lutnick said "reciprocity" will be a key topic for the upcoming administration and added, "How you treat us is how you should expect to be treated."
Outgoing administration confident in strong India-US ties
Kurt Campbell, Deputy Secretary of State, was confident that the strong India-US relationship built under President Joe Biden's administration would continue under Trump's presidency. He said they are "quite confident that we'll be handing the bilateral relationship off to the incoming Trump team at its strongest possible apex." The statement hints at optimism about future US-India relations despite possible changes in trade policies.
