New York/Washington: The US again raised the issue of tariffs that India imposes on its goods, citing high tariffs on American alcohol and agricultural products.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made references to high tariffs by India during a press briefing on Tuesday when she was responding to a question on Canada.
“Canada has been ripping off the United States of America and hard-working Americans for decades. If you look at the rates of tariffs across the board that Canadians have been imposing on the American people and our workers here, it is egregious. In fact, I have a handy dandy chart here that shows not just Canada, but the rate of tariffs across the board. If you look at Canada…American cheese and butter, nearly 300% tariff,” she said.
“You look at India, 150% tariff on American alcohol. You think that’s helping Kentucky bourbon be exported to India? I don’t think so. 100% tariff on agricultural products from India. Look at Japan, tariffing rice 700%,” PTI quoted Leavitt as saying.
Leavitt held up a chart that showed tariffs charged by India, Canada and Japan. On the chart, two circles with the colours of the tri-colour highlighted the tariffs that India imposes.
“President (Donald) Trump believes in reciprocity, and it is about dang time that we have a president who actually looks out for the interests of American businesses and workers, and all he’s asking for at the end of the day are fair and balanced trade practices, and unfortunately, Canada has not been treating us very fairly at all over the past several decades,” she said.
President Trump has been voicing his criticism of India’s high tariffs over the past few days.
On Friday, he mentioned that India has agreed to significantly reduce its tariffs, reiterating his claim that the country imposes substantial tariffs on the United States.
Commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal on Monday told a Parliamentary panel that negotiations between the two countries are still on and no agreement on trade tariffs has been reached so far.
Barthwal briefed the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs, on US President Donald Trump’s recent claims that India has agreed to reduce its tariffs “way down”.
