'No longer acceptable': Trump on India's tariffs on American products
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday hit out at India over the tariffs it imposes on American products. He tweeted that the country "has long had a field day" with tariffs on US products, adding it was "no longer acceptable." This comes only weeks after Trump held talks with PM Narendra Modi in Japan on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. Here's more.
India has long had a field day: Trump
"India has long had a field day putting Tariffs on American products. No longer acceptable!" tweeted President Trump. Notably, his remarks come only a week before the US and India are set to resume their trade talks. Senior officials from the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will hold trade talks with their Indian counterparts next week in New Delhi.
Here's what Trump tweeted over India's tariffs
India slapped higher tariffs on 28 US products in June
India slapped higher tariffs on 28 American products in June after the US ended the tariff-free status for certain Indian-origin goods roughly worth $6 billion. However, the move irked the US and hurt American exporters who now have to pay higher duties on these 28 products. The US is also upset with India's plans for restricting cross-border data flows and imposing stricter e-commerce rules.
Higher tariffs on pulses, walnuts, almonds among other US items
President Trump attacked India repeatedly after the Modi-led government implemented tariffs on 28 American products, including pulses, walnuts, and almonds, effective from June 16. The tariffs were raised in retaliation to the US's withdrawal of preferential access for some Indian goods.
'Tariffs must be withdrawn,' tweeted Trump before meeting PM Modi
Before meeting PM Modi in Japan's Osaka, Trump tweeted about the tariffs imposed by India on American items. "I look forward to speaking with Prime Minister Modi about the fact that India, for years having put very high Tariffs against the United States, just recently increased the Tariffs even further. This is unacceptable and the Tariffs must be withdrawn!" he tweeted on June 27.
Indo-US trade was worth $142.1 billion in 2018
Trump's demand for withdrawal of retaliatory tariffs by India in a stern message last month signaled the steady deterioration of the bilateral trade ties between the two countries. Last year, the Indo-US trade was worth $142.1 billion but India had a surplus of $24.2 billion.
