‘We will come together’: US Treasury Secretary’s big remark even as 50% Trump tariffs hit India

 Hours after US President Donald Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods came into effect on Wednesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent talked about the bilateral ties and said they were “complicated”, however, he expressed confidence that the two countries would come together “at the end of the day”. “This is a very complicated relationship. President (Donald) Trump or Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi have very good relationships at that level. And it’s not just over the Russian oil,” Bessent said in an interview with Fox Business.

Bessent says India is the world’s largest democracy 

Saying that India is the world’s largest democracy and the US is the world’s largest economy, he said, “I think at the end of the day, we will come together.”

His comments came hours after the additional 25 per cent tariff imposed by Trump on India for its purchases of Russian oil came into effect, bringing the total amount of levies imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent.

PM Modi says he can’t compromise on interests of farmers

On Monday, Prime Minister Modi asserted he can’t compromise on the interests of farmers, cattle-rearers, small-scale industries, cautioning “pressure on us may increase, but we will bear it”.

Bessent said that he had thought the trade deal with India would be among the first ones that Washington would sign, but that has not happened.

“The Indians came in very early after Liberation Day to start negotiating on tariffs, and we still don’t have a deal,” he said, referring to April 2, 2025, when Trump had announced Washington would impose sweeping tariffs on nations around the world.

Here’s what Bessent said on Indo-US trade deal

Bessent added that he had thought that “we would have a deal” with India in May and June. “I thought India could be one of the earlier deals. And they kind of tapped us along in terms of the negotiations. And then there is also the aspect of the Russian crude purchases, which they’ve been profiteering on. So there are many levels going on here.”

Trump had announced reciprocal tariffs of 25 per cent on India that came into effect on August 7, when tariffs on about 70 other nations also kicked in. On August 7, the US president announced doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent for India’s purchases of Russian crude oil, but gave a 21-day window to negotiate an agreement.

The additional 25 per cent tariff was imposed by Trump on India for its purchases of Russian oil came into effect on Wednesday, bringing the total amount of levies imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent.

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