Trump claims India offered ‘zero tariffs’ on US goods, warns ‘it’s getting late’ amid 50% levy standoff
US President Donald Trump labeled the India–US trade dynamic a “one-sided disaster” and asserted that India has proposed cutting import duties on American goods to zero, but added that the offer may have come too late, according to his latest remarks highlighted by Hindustan Times. The comments follow Washington’s move to double tariffs on most Indian goods to as high as 50%, a step Trump has tied to India’s Russian oil purchases and stalled trade negotiations.
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Trump’s post on Truth Social revived long-running grievances about market access, arguing that high Indian tariffs hinder American exports while India enjoys a sizeable goods surplus with the United States, as reflected in official trade tallies. In 2024, US goods exports to India totaled $41.5$41.5 billion, while imports from India reached $87.3$87.3 billion, leaving a goods deficit of $45.8$45.8 billion for the US, according to the USTR.
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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently added that slow progress on a trade deal—initiated soon after April’s “reciprocal” tariff framework was another factor behind the higher duties, alongside the shift toward discounted Russian crude, as reported by financial and wire outlets. The tariff increases have been phased in, with an additional 25% announced earlier and the total rate now reaching up to 50% on a wide swath of Indian products, Reuters noted.
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Trump also reiterated that India sources much of its oil and defense equipment from Russia and “very little” from the US, framing this as part of the rationale for punitive measures, per coverage of his statements. He claimed India had now offered to slash tariffs to nothing but warned it “should have done so years ago,” while critics point out that talks over an early-harvest package and duty cuts have dragged without a breakthrough.
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Analysts expect trade frictions to weigh on Indian shipments of labor-intensive goods such as textiles, gems and jewelry, footwear, leather, and some seafood categories, though sectors like pharmaceuticals and electronics have seen fewer direct hits so far, according to recent reporting. With tariffs biting and negotiations stalled, the near-term trajectory of bilateral trade will hinge on whether both sides can restart talks and address market-access red lines without further escalation, observers say.