‘Nobody can argue with me’, Trump tells Modi
Last Updated on February 20, 2025 6:28 am
US President Donald Trump has made it clear that India will not be exempt from Washington’s reciprocal tariffs.
In a recent interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump explained his position on global trade and the US tariff structure. Elon Musk was also present at the time. NDTV reported.
Donald Trump said, “I told Prime Minister Narendra Modi—he was here—I said, ‘We’re going to impose reciprocal tariffs. Whatever you take, we’ll take.’
Trump also said, ‘He (Modi) said, ‘No, no, I don’t like that.’ I said, ‘No, no, whatever you take, we’ll take.’ I do it with all countries.’
It is worth noting that India imposes one of the highest tariffs in the world on US products imported into its country. Especially in the automobile sector. Where tariffs of up to 100 percent are imposed on foreign cars.
Elon Musk, who was sitting next to Trump at the time, confirmed the information and said, “It’s 100 percent — 100 percent tariffs on car imports.”
President Trump added, “Yeah, it’s nothing. There’s a lot more and other things too.”
He argued that such high tariffs make it almost impossible for American companies to sell products in India unless they set up manufacturing facilities there.
Trump called such a situation “unfair” for the American economy.
Under Trump’s proposed reciprocal tariff system, Indian products would be subject to the same tariffs as India imposes on American products.
Trump said, “Nobody can argue with me. If I say 25 percent, they say, ‘Oh, that’s terrible.’ I don’t say that anymore… because I say, ‘Whatever they take, we’ll take.’ And that’s when they stop.”
Trump had also called India a “tariff king” during his first term in office. He also accused India of imposing high tariffs on American goods.
Meanwhile, after Indian Prime Minister Modi’s recent visit to Washington, the two countries pledged to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. They also plan to conclude a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) in the fall of 2025.