WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 26: U.S. President Donald Trump calls on a reporter throughout a cupboard assembly with members of his administration within the Cabinet Room of the White House on August 26, 2025 in Washington, DC. This is the seventh cupboard assembly of Trump’s second time period. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday doubled down on his criticism of India, calling trade ties with the nation “a totally one sided disaster!” after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
Trump in a submit on Truth Social additionally stated that India had provided to chop its tariffs to zero, but it surely was “getting late,” and that the nation ought to have accomplished so “years ago,” with out elaborating on when such a proposal was made.
This comes towards the backdrop of the U.S. imposing 50% tariffs on the country, together with secondary duties of 25% final month for buying Russian oil, which India has referred to as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable.”
Trump reiterated that India was shopping for oil and arms from Russia, and accused New Delhi of promoting the U.S. “massive amounts of goods,” however imposing excessive tariffs on U.S. exports to India.
“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. It has been a totally one sided disaster!” he wrote.
Data from the World Trade Organization reveals that India imposed a 6.2% common tariff on U.S. imports into the nation in 2024, on a trade-weighted foundation, whereas U.S. levied 2.4% on Indian items. The trade-weighted common is the common fee of responsibility per imported worth unit.
The U.S.-India relations have soured over the previous couple of months, upending greater than twenty years of bettering ties, with a number of U.S. officers growing their criticism of New Delhi over its Russian oil imports. India has called out the U.S. and European Union for their trade with Russia, whereas focusing on New Delhi.
India’s overseas ministry final month stated “it is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion [for them].”
Back in May, India had reportedly offered a “zero-for-zero” tariff deal on metal, auto parts and prescribed drugs on a reciprocal foundation, as much as a sure amount of imports. However, each New Delhi and Washington failed to come back to a trade deal, main Trump to impose 50% tariffs on Indian exports.
India’s Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the SCO summit in Tianjin held between between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, with each side affirming the significance of being companions, not rivals.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday played down the concept U.S. tariffs had been bringing international locations like China and India nearer collectively, describing the SCO summit as “performative,” in keeping with Reuters.
Experts have stated that the bettering relations between New Delhi and Beijing would profit the 2 international locations, however have solid doubt over them turning into shut companions as a result of long-standing disputes.
“The improvement of relations with India is a big deal. It allows India to access highly critical intellectual property that it needs if it is to industrialize and boost manufacturing,” Marko Papic, chief strategist, GeoMacro Strategy BCA Access, stated in an e mail.
“But, over the long term, the U.S. is losing the propaganda battle to paint China as the trouble-maker-in-chief. And that only further ossifies multipolarity,” he stated.
— CNBC’s Evelyn Cheng contributed to this report.