Donald Trump’s threat to impose higher tariffs directed at India? How can India seize this opportunity and turn the tables?
Trump initially imposed a 50% tariff on India, which was later reduced to 18%.
Experts say the timing and wording of Trump's post appear to be directed at India.
New Delhi: The US Supreme Court has declared President Donald Trump's tariffs illegal. Trump has been furious since then. He threatened that any country that tries to use the Supreme Court's decision to play games with the US could face steep tariffs. Although he did not name any specific country, experts say Trump may be targeting India. His threat comes at a time when the Indian delegation postponed its visit to the US to finalize a trade deal.
Who is Trump targeting?
Trump had imposed reciprocal tariffs on countries around the world and was using them to secure trade deals with them. But now this weapon is out of his hands. Trump fears that various countries may reconsider trade agreements. He wrote in a social media post, "Any country that tries to play games with this absurd Supreme Court decision will face much higher tariffs, even worse than the ones they recently agreed to. Countries that have deceived the United States for years and decades need to be especially cautious."
India-US trade deal
Experts say the timing and wording of Trump's post appear to be directed at India. Just hours before Trump's post, the Indian delegation had postponed its visit to the United States. This delegation was traveling to the United States to finalize the trade deal announced between the two countries earlier this month. However, officials say India is not considering withdrawing from the recently announced trade deal between the two countries.
Is Trump angry with India?
Trump used words like "ripped off" in his post. He has used similar words against India before, alleging that India has taken advantage of the United States. Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said Trump's post was clearly directed at India. He said in an X post, "He (Trump) used the word 'ripped off' in reference to India in response to a media question after the Supreme Court's decision. His egocentric thinking is a serious problem."
Opportunity for India
However, India isn't the only country that has postponed a trade deal with the US. The European Union has also withheld approval of a trade deal with the US. The deal was reached between the two sides in July last year. The Supreme Court's decision has weakened the Trump administration. Many countries will seek to take advantage of this weakness. Trump initially imposed a 50% tariff on India, which was later reduced to 18%. However, after the Supreme Court's decision, India is now in a position to negotiate again.
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