Trump: India to Drop Tariffs Substantially

New York/Washington, Apr 1 (PTI) US President Donald Trump said India will be “dropping its tariffs very substantially” as he readies to announce reciprocal tariffs on countries on April 2.

“I think a lot of (countries) will drop their tariffs because they've been unfairly tariffing the United States for years. If you look at the European Union on cars, the European Union already dropped their tariff to 2.5 per cent. It was announced a couple of days ago. A very small tariff. The United States charged very little," Trump said while responding to questions in the Oval Office on Monday.

"I think I heard that India, just a little while ago, is going to be dropping its tariffs very substantially. I said, why didn't somebody do this a long time ago. A lot of countries are going to be dropping their tariffs,” Trump said.

Just a few hours before Trump's comments, the White House said India imposes a 100 per cent tariff on American agricultural products.

It said the high tariffs imposed by other countries made it "virtually impossible” for US products to be imported into those nations.

“First of all, unfortunately, these countries have been ripping off our country for far too long, and they've made, I think, their disdain for the American worker quite clear,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday.

“If you look at the unfair trade practices - we have 50 per cent from the European Union on American dairy, you have a 700 per cent tariff from Japan on American rice. You have a 100 per cent tariff from India on American agricultural products. You have nearly a 300 per cent tariff from Canada on American butter and cheese," Leavitt said.

"This makes it virtually impossible for American products to be imported into these markets, and it has put a lot of Americans out of business and work over the past several decades,” she said.

Leavitt held a chart that showed tariffs charged by India, Japan and other nations.

On the chart, two circles with the tri-colour highlighted the tariffs that India imposes.

“So it's time for reciprocity, and it's time for a president to take historic change, to do what's right for the American people, and that's going to take place on Wednesday,” she said.

Trump has said that reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose levies on American goods will kick in on April 2.

Earlier this month, he said the current tariffs were “temporary" and "small ones” but “the predominant tariffs” reciprocal in nature would start from April 2.

Trump said the tariffs would be a “big game changer for our country".

Leavitt did not mention the specifics as to what the tariffs would look like and which countries would be impacted.

“I will let the president announce on Wednesday, but it's certainly going to ensure that there's reciprocity and the American people are treated fairly,” she said.

Trump has a "brilliant team of trade advisors”, including US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, White House aide Peter Navarro, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor, she said.

Leavitt said Vice President J D Vance was “deeply involved” in the conversations.

“All of these individuals have presented plans to the president on how to get this done. The president decides and we will not get ahead of him on the specifics of the announcement," she said.