US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that India has offered to reduce tariffs on American goods to zero, though he insisted New Delhi should have acted “years ago.”
Since returning to office this year, Trump has revived tariffs as a central policy tool. India currently faces 25% reciprocal tariffs from Washington, plus another 25% duty linked to its Russian oil imports — bringing the effective rate to 50%, among the highest in the world.
Trump accused India of indirectly fueling Russia’s war in Ukraine through its energy purchases, but has stopped short of imposing stricter sanctions on Moscow. Posting on Truth Social, he said: “They have now offered to cut their tariffs to nothing, but it’s getting late.”
New Delhi maintained it would take steps to protect its economic security, with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal declaring that India “will not bow down” to pressure. The tariff dispute has strained ties, complicating trade talks that remain deadlocked over agriculture and dairy market access.
The US Court of Appeals recently ruled many of Trump’s tariffs illegal, but allowed them to stay in place pending appeal.