US, India make 鈥榯remendous鈥 progress on trade, but no deal
Print Edition
US President Donald Trump failed Tuesday to strike a trade deal with India at the end of a visit big on photo opportunities but short on substance and overshadowed by deadly riots.
US-Indian trade relations have worsened in recent years as Trump鈥檚 鈥淎merica First鈥 aim of reducing deficits has collided with the 鈥淢ake in India鈥 mantra of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking at the end of a short tour that saw him hold hands at the Taj Mahal with First Lady Melania and address a huge rally, Trump said only that they had made 鈥渢remendous progress鈥 towards an accord.
鈥淭he United States has to be treated fairly and India understands that,鈥 he told a news conference, saying that 鈥渋f a deal happens with India, it will be towards the end of the year.鈥
Trump has imposed tariffs on Indian steel and aluminium and suspended duty-free access for certain goods in an effort to cut the US$25 billion US trade deficit with Asia鈥檚 third-biggest economy.
Under pressure to deliver ahead of his November re-election battle, Trump has pressed for greater access to the vast Indian market of 1.3 billion people for US dairy producers and makers of medical goods.
But Modi, battling to fire up a slowing economy hampered by inflation and a widening deficit, has responded with higher tariffs on US goods.
Arriving on Monday Trump hailed India and its 鈥渢remendously successful鈥 but 鈥渧ery, very tough鈥 Modi at the rally of about 100,000 people inside the world鈥檚 largest cricket stadium in Modi鈥檚 home state of Gujarat.
The fanfare of the 鈥淣amaste Trump鈥 event follows a 鈥淗owdy Modi鈥 extravaganza in Houston last year when the two leaders held hands and Trump compared Modi to Elvis Presley.
The pair did announce US$3 billion in defense deals, including the sale of naval helicopters.
But behind the bonhomie they remain far apart on a trade deal between the world鈥檚 biggest economy and its second most populous nation, dashing earlier speculation of a possible compromise that would have seen India lowering tariffs on Harley-Davidson motorcycles and other items.
鈥淗arley-Davidson has to pay tremendous tariffs when they send motorcycles in here. When India sells motorcycles into the US there is virtually no tariff ... That鈥檚 unfair,鈥 Trump told a news conference. 鈥淚 want reciprocal, it has to be reciprocal,鈥 he said.
Trump stopped short of publicly voicing unease about a new citizenship law that has raised concerns abroad, including in Washington, about the direction of India under Modi.
鈥淲e did talk about religious freedom. And I will say that the prime minister was incredible. What he told me was that he wants people to have religious freedom,鈥 Trump said.
Critics say the law forms part of a plan to re-mould secular India as a Hindu nation 鈥 something Modi denies 鈥 and its recent passage sparked weeks of protests and violence, including in Delhi on Monday and Tuesday.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
