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‘Unfortunate’: Congress's Manish Tewari attacks Centre after Donald Trump's tariff claim
Tewari's remarks came after US President Donald Trump revealed that India has agreed to slash its tariffs significantly.
Congress leader Manish Tewari on Saturday criticised the BJP-led central government’s trade policy, saying that if India has decided to reduce tariffs under the pressure of the US then it is "unfortunate"
The Chandigarh MP also added that the decision "does not make for good trade policy."
"President Donald Trump has been repeatedly vilifying India, calling it a serial tariff abuser. He referred to India twice or thrice during his State of the Union address also, and now he has said that India, under the pressure of the US, has decided to reduce tariffs. If this statement is correct, then it is extremely unfortunate because India has a history and a tradition of never buckling under any pressure from any country. It does not make for good trade policy, strategic policy, or even foreign policy." Tewari told ANI.
The former union minister suggested that the government should have accepted reciprocal tariffs.
"It is much better to accept reciprocal tariffs than keel down in the manner in which President Trump is suggesting," he added. He also informed that the Congress will raise this issue in the parliament in the upcoming session.
Tewari's remarks came after US President Donald Trump revealed that India has agreed to slash its tariffs significantly. Trump has repeatedly attacked India's tariffs regime.
Donald Trump’s statement on Indian tariffs
Donald Trump on Friday attacked India's tariffs regime, saying it is next to impossible to sell anything to India because of the "high tariffs."
In a nationally televised address, Trump focused on the tariffs his administration will be putting in effect soon. However, Trump also went on to reveal that India has agreed to slash its tariffs significantly, allegedly because ‘somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done.’
"India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You can't even sell anything in India. They have agreed, by the way; they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done," Trump said on the issue.
This comes as the US prepares to introduce reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose high levies on American goods.
The reciprocal tariffs, set to take effect on April 2, will mark a significant shift in the US trade policy. Trump has emphasised that the US will no longer tolerate being taken advantage of by other nations, particularly those with high-tariff regimes, including India.
