Donald Trump Again Targets India Over Tariffs, Sparks Controversy

Former US President Donald Trump has reignited his criticism of India’s trade policies, calling it the “most tariffed nation” in the world and alleging that the bilateral trade relationship remains deeply imbalanced. Speaking on The Scott Jennings Radio Show, Trump claimed that India had recently offered a “no tariff deal,” but argued that it came too late.

Trump defended his decision to impose 50% tariffs on Indian goods, insisting they were necessary to force concessions. “China kills us with tariffs, India kills us with tariffs, Brazil kills us with tariffs. India was the most highly tariffed nation in the world. Now they’ve offered no tariffs, but it’s getting late,” he said. He asserted that without his tariff pressure, New Delhi would never have made such an offer.

The former President described the trade relationship as “totally one-sided,” stating that India exports massively to the US while importing very little in return. He also criticised India’s reliance on Russian oil and military equipment rather than US supplies. Trump’s remarks follow a recent US appeals court ruling that declared his tariffs unlawful, further fuelling political debate.

On social media, Trump doubled down, accusing India of decades-long unfair practices. “They sell us massive amounts of goods… we sell them very little. It’s been a one-sided disaster,” he wrote on Truth Social.

However, his stance has drawn criticism within the US. Jake Sullivan, former National Security Advisor, said Trump’s policies undermined Indo-US ties and risked alienating key allies like India, Germany, and Japan. He accused Trump of favouring Pakistan due to his private business dealings and warned that such an approach jeopardised America’s credibility as a global partner.

Trump’s rhetoric is expected to influence both trade policy debates and US-India relations as elections draw closer.