New Delhi [India], July 30 : Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Wednesday criticised the Centre for its handling of trade relations with the US, particularly in light of US President Donald Trump's statement on imposing tariffs on Indian goods.
Yadav stated that the Indian leadership appears to have surrendered to Trump's demands, lacking the courage to call out the US president for potential falsehoods.
Trump mentioned that India imposes significant tariffs on US goods, leading to a potential 20% tariff on Indian exports to the US. Yadav urged the Indian government to take a firm stance in response to Trump's comments, emphasizing the need for assertive action to protect India's interests.
"It looks as if our country's leadership has surrendered in front of Donald Trump. They do not even have the courage to say that Trump is lying. Donald Trump said yesterday that India imposes a lot of tariffs on goods from the US, so the US will also impose at least 20% tariffs... The Indian Govt needs to take a strong step in this regard," he said.
The US and India have been engaged in trade negotiations, with the US seeking greater market access for American goods in India. Trump's tariff plans could significantly impact Indian exports, with proposed tariffs ranging from 20% to 26% on Indian goods.
The imposition of tariffs could lead to increased costs for Indian businesses and consumers, potentially affecting the country's economic growth.
Just days ahead of the self-imposed August 1 deadline date before the tariffs come into effect, US President Donald Trump stated that the India-US trade deal was "working out very well" but hinted at a 20 per cent to 25 per cent tariff on New Delhi.
During a gaggle with the press interaction aboard Air Force One on Tuesday (local time), Trump responded to a report suggesting that India might be preparing for 20 to 25 per cent tariffs, stating that India had been imposing higher tariffs on the US as compared to other countries. He further mentioned that all this would come to an end as he is now "in charge."
However, Trump hasn't sent any letters to India announcing the tariff imposed on New Delhi, as he did for many other nations.
'India has been a good friend. But India has charged basically more tariffs than almost any other country over the years. But now I'm in charge. And you just can't do that. I think the trade deals are working out very well. Hopefully for everybody, but for the United States, they're very, very good," the US President said.
Earlier on April 22, Trump imposed a tariff of 26 per cent on Indian goods imported to the US, before announcing a pause on those "reciprocal" levies.
Meanwhile, the Union Minister for Commerce, Piyush Goyal, on Sunday, stated that the trade discussion between India and the US had been going "very well."
"India today negotiates from a position of strength, a position of confidence. It is this very confidence that continuously encourages us to make good free trade agreements... Our discussions with the United States are progressing very well," he stated.