7 hours ago
Last Updated:May 15, 2025, 14:04 IST
'India has offered us a deal where basically they are willing to literally charge us no tariff,' says US President Donald Trump said during a business event in Qatar.
US President Donald Trump also said he told Apple CEO Tim Cook that he is not interested in him building in India.
US President Donald Trump has said India has offered to eliminate all tariffs on US imports.
“India has offered us a deal where basically they are willing to literally charge us no tariff," he said, speaking at a gathering of business leaders in Doha.
The statement comes just days ahead of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s US visit starting May 16 with a delegation to advance trade talks.
Trump made the comments during a business roundtable in Doha, Qatar, on his Mideast tour, first discussing Apple’s plans to build manufacturing plants for its iPhone there.
“It’s very hard to sell into India and they’ve offered us a deal with what basically they’re willing to literally charge us no tariff," Trump said.
Trump also had a direct conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook, advising him against expanding Apple’s manufacturing footprint in India, unless it is specifically to serve the Indian market.
“Told Apple CEO Tim Cook we’re not interested in you building in India, they can take care of themselves," Trump said during a business event in Doha, Qatar, on May 15, according to a Bloomberg report.
Trump also said Apple would increase its production in the United States. “Apple will be upping their production in the United States," he added.
On April 7, Trump announced a pause on reciprocal tariffs for most major trading partners — except China. Shortly after, Washington initiated fresh trade negotiations with Beijing.
The United States and China agreed to significantly scale back their tit-for-tat tariffs for a 90-day period, a move Trump described as a “total reset", suggesting that high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping could be on the horizon.
The agreement addressed nearly all of China’s major concerns and triggered a rally in the US dollar and global equity markets — offering a timely boost for Trump amid rising concerns about inflation in the United States.
Importantly, India is a close partner of the US and is part of the Quad, which is made up of the US, India, Japan and Australia, and is seen as a counterbalance to China’s expansion in the region.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Location : First Published:News business » economy Trump Says India Has Offered To Eliminate All Tariffs On US Imports
