Donald Trump says India is willing to eliminate tariffs on US goods, calling it “100%,” but adds, “I’m in no rush” to strike a formal trade deal
US President Donald Trump gave an update on trade talks with India, stating that New Delhi was willing to eliminate all tariffs on American goods. Having said that, Trump also revealed that Washington is in no immediate rush to finalise a trade agreement between the two nations.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump used India as a key example of the trade barriers he targeted during his administration. “They make it almost impossible to do business,” he said. “Do you know that they’re willing to cut 100% of their tariffs for the United States?”
Despite the teasing, in his classic style, Trump offered little in terms of specifics or timelines. “That’ll come soon. I’m in no rush,” he remarked. “Everybody wants to make a deal with us,” he added, while cautioning, “I’m not planning to make deals with everybody.”
His comments come amid preparations by the Trump administration to announce new import duty rates in the coming weeks. The White House has been navigating several trade negotiations under its ‘reciprocal tariffs’ policy, though officials have admitted limited capacity to pursue multiple complex discussions simultaneously, with India in that list.
Trump also floated the idea of expanding trade with Pakistan, India’s regional rival, citing earlier diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. “I’m using trade to settle scores and make peace,” he said.
Elsewhere in the interview, Trump described his recent trade agreement with China as a generous move that may have staved off a crisis in the Chinese economy. Under the deal, US tariffs on Chinese imports were cut from 145% to 30%, while Beijing reduced its own rates from 125% to 10%. “If I didn’t do that deal with China, I think China would have broken apart,” he claimed.
The White House has yet to release further details on India’s reported tariff concession or a roadmap for any formal agreement. For now, Trump’s comments signal a willingness to engage is likely to move forward only when he sees fit.