President Trump Highlights Tariff Issues with India and Canada Amid Trade War
President Trump has announced reciprocal tariffs effective April 2 on countries with high tariffs on U.S. goods, singling out India and Canada for their excessive levies. Indian officials are hopeful for a resolution while negotiations continue. Trump’s administration aims to combat historical tariff imbalances.
In light of the ongoing trade war with Canada, President Donald Trump has once again emphasized the significant tariffs imposed by India. Effective April 2, Trump announced that reciprocal tariffs would be enacted on countries that maintain high tariffs on American goods. During a ceremony in the Oval Office, he labeled India as a “very high tariff nation” and reiterated the administration’s commitment to imposing equivalent tariffs on such nations.
In his remarks, Trump noted, “And the big one will be on April 2, when reciprocal tariffs, so if India or China, or any of the countries that really… India is a very high tariff nation.” Indian officials, meanwhile, remain optimistic about negotiating a resolution to avert these tariffs, with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal currently engaged in discussions in Washington with his U.S. counterpart, Howard Lutnick.
This marks the second occasion in recent days in which President Trump has criticized India’s tariff policies. During his address to a joint session of Congress, he labeled the tariffs as “very unfair” and accused India and other countries of imposing excessively high tariffs.
Trump outlined that tariffs would particularly affect products not made in America, declaring, “If you don’t make your product in America, however, under the Trump administration, you will pay a tariff and in some cases, a rather large one.” He pointed out that other nations have taken advantage of the U.S. for decades, implying it is now the U.S.’s turn to respond.
In addition to targeting India, Trump also called out Canada for its high tariffs on American dairy products and lumber, stating, “I’ll tell you what’s a high tariff nation – it’s Canada. Canada charges us 250% for our milk product and other products, and a tremendous tariff with lumber and things as such. And yet we don’t need their lumber. We have more lumber than they do.”
President Trump’s renewed focus on high tariffs imposed by India, as well as Canada, underscores his administration’s strategy of implementing reciprocal tariffs. These measures aim to address perceived unfair trade practices while fostering negotiations for potential trade resolutions. The situation remains dynamic, particularly as both the U.S. and India engage in trade discussions, striving for a mutually beneficial agreement.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
