US President Donald Trump on Monday sharpened his criticism of India, calling Washington’s trade ties with New Delhi “totally one-sided” and warning that India’s belated offer to cut tariffs to zero may have come “too late.”
His remarks coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit — a setting that underscored the shifting geopolitical balance.
Trump’s Truth Social Post
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump wrote:
“What few people understand is that we do very little business with India, but they do a tremendous amount of business with us. In other words, they sell us massive amounts of goods, their biggest ‘client,’ but we sell them very little – until now a totally one-sided relationship, and it has been for many decades.”
He added:
“They have now offered to cut their tariffs to nothing, but it’s getting late. They should have done so years ago. Just some simple facts for people to ponder!!!”
Trade Talks Stalled
India-US trade negotiations hit a roadblock in August after a planned visit by a US delegation was abruptly cancelled. In retaliation, Trump announced a 50% tariff on Indian exports while criticising New Delhi’s continued oil imports from Russia and its high tariffs on American goods.
Between March and July, five rounds of talks had been held, with technical teams largely finalising a framework by late June. However, the negotiations remained stuck on three contentious issues:
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Agricultural market access
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Tariff reciprocity
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Ongoing WTO disputes
Trump had earlier hinted at an “Indonesia-style deal,” under which Jakarta faced a 19% tariff while US exporters enjoyed zero tariffs in the Indonesian market. Such an arrangement, however, remains a political red line for India.
Rising Pressure From Washington
Trump’s criticism has been amplified by senior officials, including White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and senior trade adviser Peter Navarro, all of whom have openly attacked India’s stance on tariffs and energy imports from Russia.
The US President is also reportedly frustrated with India’s refusal to credit him for brokering the May ceasefire with Pakistan. According to American media reports, Trump has decided to skip the upcoming Quad leaders’ summit in India later this year.
