India Downplays Trump Remarks, Says Tariff Reduction In Line With Past Agreements: Source

Last Updated:March 08, 2025, 20:36 IST

On Friday, Trump criticised India’s tariff rates, claiming that they were "massive" and restrictive, making it difficult for the US to sell products in India

US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, DC, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

A day after US President Donald Trump announced that India has agreed to cut its tariffs, a government source on Saturday said that this move is not an “extraordinary step" but rather part of a broader pattern, as India has undertaken similar tariff reductions with other developed countries in the past.

The source told News18 that if India agrees to reduce tariffs as per US requests, it should not be seen as an exceptional action. “India has already made similar agreements with countries like Australia, the UAE, Switzerland, and Norway," the source added.

On Friday, Trump criticised India’s tariff rates, claiming that they were “massive" and restrictive, making it difficult for the US to sell products in India.

Trump also stated that India had agreed to reduce tariffs “way down," claiming his administration was “exposing" countries like India for such practices. “They’ve agreed, by the way, they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody’s finally exposing them for what they’ve done," he added, also including China and the European Union in his criticisms.

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In response, the government source reiterated that discussions on tariffs and other trade issues were ongoing, and that India’s position aligned with the negotiations it had conducted with other developed countries.

In February, India and the US had agreed to begin talks on a multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the autumn. Prime Minister Modi and President Trump had also agreed to appoint senior representatives to advance these discussions.

“They were to work towards increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers and deepening supply chain integration," the source said.

During Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to Washington this week, discussions on tariffs were part of the ongoing negotiations.

The source added that talks on tariffs and other trade issues raised during the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington in February were still ongoing. “There are specifics which have been mentioned on various issues as part of the negotiation… It is also natural that both countries have their interests and sensitivities. These are legitimate matters for a discussion," it said.

Additionally, similar negotiations have already been conducted with the European Union and the United Kingdom, adding that the ongoing discussions with the US should therefore be seen in this context.

News india India Downplays Trump Remarks, Says Tariff Reduction In Line With Past Agreements: Source