US President Donald Trump’s Personal Grudge Driving Tariffs On India : Jefferies Report
New Delhi : The underlying cause behind the steep US tariffs on India seems to be New Delhi’s refusal to allow President Donald Trump to mediate during the hostilities with Pakistan, effectively denying him an opportunity to trumpet his case for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The report by Jefferies said Trump’s “personal pique” was behind the US imposing an unprecedented 50% tariff on India, the highest among American trading partners, and thereby sending longstanding strategic ties into a free-fall. The full spectrum of levies came into effect on August 27. “Tariffs are primarily the consequence of the American president’s personal pique that he was not allowed to play a role in seeking to end the long-running acrimony between India and Pakistan,” the report said.
Despite being well aware of India’s position, Trump, a master of political theatre, went on to boast that he had prevented a “nuclear war” between India and Pakistan by threatening to impose tariffs if they did not agree to a ceasefire. India has repeatedly maintained that it is not open to any sort of third-party mediation, particularly in its long-running dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir.
Trump, a master of political theatre, went on to boast that he had prevented a “nuclear war” between India and Pakistan by threatening to impose tariffs if they did not agree to a ceasefire. Earlier this year, Trump also revived his call for mediating the Kashmir issue, which hit a raw nerve with New Delhi. The US report stated that India held on to its “red line” of no third-party mediation despite facing the prospect of heavy economic costs.
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