Trump Says India Offered Zero Tariffs on US Goods Amid Escalating Trade Clash
United States President Donald Trump claimed Monday that India has offered to slash tariffs on American goods to zero, even as relations between Washington and New Delhi deteriorate under his escalating trade war.
In a social media post, Trump described the US-India relationship as “very one-sided,” accusing New Delhi of selling “massive amounts of goods” to the US while buying little in return. “They have now offered to cut their Tariffs to nothing, but it’s getting late. They should have done so years ago,” Trump wrote.
The assertion comes just weeks after Trump imposed steep 50 percent tariffs on Indian imports — among the highest penalties his administration has announced. He has also repeatedly criticised India’s purchases of Russian oil and military equipment, arguing that New Delhi should instead buy more US energy and weapons.
India has not commented on Trump’s latest claim, though Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently pushed back against the tariffs, declaring that India “will neither bow down nor ever appear weak” in its economic relationships.
The trade tensions mark a sharp reversal from recent years, when India was often viewed in Washington as a key partner in countering China’s influence in Asia. Trump’s remarks come just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Chinese President Xi Jinping at a regional summit that India remains committed to improving ties with Beijing.
While Trump has often announced sweeping concessions from foreign governments that later fail to materialize, the claim of zero tariffs highlights his strategy of mixing threats with promises of closer trade if partners bend to US demands. For now, the standoff risks pushing India and other countries to deepen ties outside the US orbit as they seek more predictable economic relationships.