Donald Trump says US to impose reciprocal tariff on India soon: ‘We want to be fair…’

United States President Donald Trump has reiterated his plans on imposing reciprocal tariffs on India, saying that his administration will get on with the work soon.

Donald Trump’s comments regarding imposing reciprocal tariffs on countries like India and China on Saturday came as a repetition of what he had said during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to the US capital of Washington DC.

“We'll soon impose reciprocal tariffs because that means, they charge us, we charge them. It's very simple. Whatever a company or a country, such as let's say India or China or any of them, whatever they charge, we want to be fair ... so reciprocal. Reciprocal meaning, 'they charge us, we charge them',” news agency PTI quoted Trump as saying in the US capital’.

“We have never done that. We were getting ready to do it until Covid hit”, the 78-year-old added.

The Republican leader was speaking at the swearing-in of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as he made the announcement. During PM Modi’s visit to the US capital last week, he had made similar statements.

What Trump said to PM Modi

In a joint television interview with Trump and billionaire Elon Musk aired by Fox News on Friday, the president said that he had made it clear to PM Modi that India will not be spared from his decision on reciprocal tariffs. Trump further emphasised that “nobody can argue with me” on the US’ tariff structure.

“I told Prime Minister Modi yesterday - he was here - I said, ‘Here's what we're going to do: reciprocal. Whatever you charge, I'm charging’,” he said during the interview, giving a view of his conversation with the Indian Prime Minister.

Trump’s first reciprocal tariff announcement for India

Before his bilateral meeting with PM Narendra Modi last week, Donald Trump had announced that the US would impose reciprocal tariffs on India.

The US President said that India has “the highest tariffs” and “it is a hard place to do business”.

“I’ve decided for purposes of fairness that I will charge a reciprocal tariff. It’s fair to all. No other country can complain,” Trump said at the Oval Office.