India-U.S. Getting Along ‘Very Well’: Trump Defends 50% Duties, Seeks Quicker Ruling on Tariffs from SC

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended the 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports while saying that the two countries were getting along ‘very well’. However, he also mentioned that trade ties with India had been ‘one-sided’ for a long time.

Addressing a press conference at the White House, Trump responded to questions about whether he might reconsider the tariffs on India. He stated that India had imposed some of the highest levies in the world, leaving US companies unable to compete.

“For many years, it was a one-sided relationship. India was charging us tremendous tariffs, they were the highest in the world,” he said. According to the U.S. President, Indian goods entered the US market freely but American exports were blocked by duties that reached as high as 100 per cent. “They sent in everything they made and poured it into the country, while we would not send in anything,” he added.

Trump to Ask SC for ‘Expedited Ruling’ on Tariffs

Additionally, Trump also said that he would request for an ‘expedited ruling’ from the US Supreme Court to overturn a decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Last Friday, in a 7-4 ruling the Court found that Trump exceeded his authority in using emergency economic powers to impose sweeping tariffs but allowed them to remain in place until mid-October.

“We’re going to be going to the Supreme Court, we think tomorrow, because we need an early decision,” Trump said. “If you took away tariffs, we could end up being a third-world country.”

The ruling did not affect existing sector-specific tariffs, including those on steel and aluminum. The U.S President relied on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose ‘reciprocal’ tariffs on trading partners, starting with a 10% baseline rate.

According to the U.S. President, India imposed duties of up to 100 per cent on various goods, which discouraged US firms from exporting there. On the other hand, he mentioned that Indian companies were able to access American markets with ease. In addition to that, he stated, “They poured their goods into our country while we sold almost nothing in return,” while underlining that this was why Washington had acted by imposing steep import duties.