Desk Report,
Trump’s mixed messages on India in one day, are trade talks really underway?
There is no sign of what US President Donald Trump will do in the end. What he says today, he changes tomorrow. What he says is heard in a different tone in the voice of his advisor. As a result, what will be the final outcome of the India-US trade agreement and the tariff war is still unknown.
Trump’s mixed messages on India in one day, are trade talks really underway?
However, this Wednesday morning has once again raised new hopes. Trump’s tweet on the X handle and the positive response of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi without delay have strengthened the hope of resolving the trade complications.
This morning (evening US time) Trump tweeted, ‘I am happy to announce that India and the United States are continuing talks to resolve trade barriers between the two countries. I will speak to my very good friend Prime Minister Modi in the next few weeks. I am sure that it will be good for both great countries, we will have no difficulty in reaching such a successful conclusion to the trade talks.’ Modi did not waste time in responding to Trump’s tweet on X. Modi, who mentioned that ‘India and the US are close friends and natural allies’, wrote, ‘The immense potential of the partnership between the two countries will be overcome through trade talks. Our delegation is working for an early conclusion of these talks. I also look forward to talking to President Trump. We will work to make the future of the two countries and their people brighter and more prosperous.’
India has always been the ‘tariff king’ for Trump. Trump has always been vocal against India’s excessive tariffs and non-tariff barriers to prevent the import of US products.
To remove that barrier, he announced to impose a 25 percent tariff on Indian exportable goods. But then an additional 25 percent penalty duty was imposed for the ‘crime’ of buying oil from Russia.
Since then, the India-US tariff war has continued. India has leaned towards China and Russia to keep pressure on Trump. Modi attended the SCO summit in Tianjin. He also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It was also stated that oil purchases from Russia would not be stopped. After that, Trump sent two messages in a row, which Modi found ‘positive’.
Despite this, it is not entirely certain how the India-US trade relationship is going to turn out. This is because of the different messages from Trump and his advisors at various times. Trump himself said in a message a few days ago, ‘It seems like we are losing India and Russia in the deep darkness of China.’
When Trump was asked about that statement, he said again at a press conference at the White House, ‘Modi is a great Prime Minister. He will always be Modi’s friend. The relationship between India and the US is special. There is no reason to worry. Modi also called that comment ‘positive’ on the same day and said in an ‘X’ message, ‘India will reciprocate.’
However, Trump’s trade advisor Peter Navarro continues to make statements attacking India. First, he called the Ukraine war ‘Modi’s war’. Then he said that Indian Brahmins are getting rich selling Russian oil.
Navarro said that India is a money launderer for the Kremlin. Threatening India, he said that India will have to behave properly if it wants to become a strategic partner of the United States. Trump has also spoken in a different tone at times.
Before making his ‘positive’ comments on Wednesday, Trump gave the EU a different advice. Reuters reported that Trump told EU officials to impose 100 percent tariffs on China and India so that those two countries do not buy oil from Russia. This can put pressure on Russia.
As a result, it is not possible to say when the India-US trade talks will end, or what the outcome will be. One after another, contradictory comments are creating doubts and suspicions.
