In what seems like an attempt to portray an upper hand in the world's gaze, United States President Donald Trump on Monday claimed India offered a "zero tariffs" deal on imports from the US. Trump's fresh claims come as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China.
The US president claimed India-US trade was one-sided and New Delhi does "very little" business with his country. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said India has now offered to cut its tariffs to nothing, but it's getting late.
"What few people understand is that we do very little business with India, but they do a tremendous amount of business with us," Trump added. He added that the US was India's biggest client, "massive", "but we sell them very little - Until now a totally one-sided relationship, and it has been for many decades," Trump said in his post.
The US president blamed India's high taxes for low sales of American goods in the country. "The reason is that India has charged us, until now, such high tariffs, the most of any country, that our businesses are unable to sell into India."
The US president said India should have cut tariffs on US goods to zero long ago. He also continued to "blame" India for its defence and oil deals with Russia. "India buys most of its oil and military products from Russia, very little from the US. They have now offered to cut their Tariffs to nothing, but it's getting late. They should have done so years ago. Just some simple facts for people to ponder!!!" the US president said in his social media post.
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However, the US president had made similar claims in May this year, and India maintained, "trade talks are continuing."
Trump's comments come as the world witnessed renewed bonhomie between leaders of India, Russia and China on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in China. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin.
The summit also showed to the world Trump tariffs hasn't shaken India's ties with Russia. The US president has imposed 25 per cent additional tariff on Indian imports, bringing the total duties imposed on India to 50 per cent, for its purchase of Russian oil and defence equipment. Trump charged India's oil purchases from Russia is fueling Putin's war against Ukraine. India called the tariffs imposed by the US unjustified and unreasonable.
