Amid ongoing negotiations over a bilateral trade agreement, US President Donald Trump complemented Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a good friend and expressing confidence that Indian and US would eventually seal a trade deal.
Talking to the reporters at White House, The US President highlighted the strong relationship between the two leaders. “We will get to a deal because I like your prime minister a lot. He is a good friend of mine, and we get along well,” Trump said while responding to questions on bilateral trade talks.
Trump alleged that India had benefited from trade arrangements with the United States for years by imposing high tariffs on American products.
Trump’s remarks come at a time when officials from both countries are working to finalise an interim bilateral trade agreement. A US delegation was in India earlier this week to continue discussions aimed at strengthening economic ties and expanding trade opportunities.
However, the trade talks have become more complicated following Washington’s decision to announce an additional 12.5 per cent tariff on imports from India and 53 other countries that includes 54 countries, among them India, China, Australia, Japan, Israel, Qatar and Russia.
The United States has said the move is linked to concerns over products allegedly being manufactured through forced labour. The latest tariff announcement has added another layer of complexity to negotiations that were already navigating multiple trade-related issues.
However, the message from Washington appears straightforward that Modi remains a friend, the trade deal remains a priority, and tariffs remain a topic Trump is unlikely to stop talking about anytime soon.