President Donald Trump said that India is ready to remove all tariffs on American goods, yet he signaled that he is not rushing toward a trade deal with India.
India is the world’s fourth-largest economy and a key buyer of many U.S. farm and tech goods.
In an interview with Fox News host Bret Baier that aired Friday, Trump talked about trade relations with India with regard to improving U.S. exports. “They make it almost impossible to do business,” the president told Baier. “Do you know that they’re willing to cut 100 percent of their tariffs for the United States?”
While making that claim, Trump offered mixed signals on how quickly a trade deal might follow. “That’ll come soon. I’m in no rush,” he said. “Look, everybody wants to make a deal with us.” He later added that he does not plan to “make deals with everybody.”
The comments are the latest hint that the White House will continue to maintain tariffs on certain countries as a July pause on higher tariffs nears. Trump has said that the US will make decisions about unilateral tariffs for some nations.
Earlier on Friday, the president told reporters he expects to announce fresh rates for trade partners “over the next two to three weeks.”
Washington is prioritizing discussions with certain nations
Officials say the administration wants to wrap up talks with several countries, including India, but limited staff and time mean Washington cannot hold full talks with every capital affected by the president’s reciprocal tariff plan.
Trump also raised the idea of bigger trade ties with Pakistan, India’s rival. He previously said that trade was one major factor that helped broker a ceasefire deal between the two nuclear neighbors this month. “I’m using trade to settle scores and make peace,” he said.
The United States has likewise worked to cool its clash with China. After talks last week, Washington cut its tariff rate on Chinese goods to 30 percent from 145 percent, while Beijing lowered its own tariffs on U.S. imports to 10 percent. “If I didn’t do that deal with China, I think China would have broken apart,” Trump said.
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