Trump optimist about US-India trade talks, terms PM Modi ‘smart man’, says ‘high tariffs brutal but would…’

Trump had earlier said that India was a very high-tariff nation and reiterated that reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose levies on American goods would kick in on April 2.

Amid heavy criticism over ongoing tariff war and high tariff charged by India and other countries on American goods, US President Donald Trump has described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “very smart man” and emphasized that tariff talks would ‘work out very well between India and US’.

“Prime Minister Modi was here just recently and we have always been very good friends,” the US president said in the White House Friday.

“India is one of the highest tariffing nations in the world.… it’s brutal, it’s brutal. They’re very smart. He (Modi) is a very smart man and a great friend of mine. We had very good talks. I think it’s going to work out very well between India and our country, Trump said.

“And I want to say you have a great prime minister,” he said.

PM Modi had visited Washington DC in February and held bilateral discussions with Trump. The visit came less than a month after Trump was sworn in as US President for a second term.

Trump had earlier said that India was a very high-tariff nation and reiterated that reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose levies on American goods would kick in on April 2.

The remarks assume significance since Trump has repeatedly criticised the high tariffs charged by India and other countries on American goods.

Interestingly, US President Donald Trump decided to expand his trade war to the world’s most traded product — automobiles and auto parts — by announcing 25 per cent tariffs on them from April 3. This has raised the uncertainty over Indian exports of auto components worth nearly $7 billion to the US and their future growth potential in the North American market.