‘They Do It With A Smile’: Trump Vows Reciprocal Tariff Policy Against India If Elected

New Delhi: Republican Party candidate in the US Presidential election 2024 and former President Donald Trump surprised many by picking up India for criticism.

In an election speech on economic policies in Detroit, he said India charges tariffs on American imports as high as China if not more. And, India does this with a smile, he added.  

He said that he will introduce reciprocal tax if elected to White House.

Trump, however, praised the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “the nicest human being”,  and a “great leader.” 

“Perhaps the most important element of my plan to make America extraordinarily wealthy again is reciprocity,” Trump said on how he would address trade imbalances. 

He claimed the US imposes minimal tariffs on imports while countries like China and Brazil charge heavy tariffs on American imports. However, India surpasses all of them in charging high tariffs, he said.

It’s not the first time that Trump has singled out Indian tariffs for criticism. Last month he called India a big abuser of US trade relations.  

In his Detroit speech, Trump referred to his past dealings with Harley-Davidson, the iconic American motorcycle maker, to emphasize India’s high tariffs. He recalled that during his presidency, Harley-Davidson executives informed him of India’s 100% tariff on their motorcycles. Despite this obstacle, Harley-Davidson eventually established production facilities in India to bypass the taxes and operate more effectively in the market.