Trump Says India Offered to Cut Tariffs on US Goods to Zero Amid Trade Tensions

Updated On: September 3, 2025 5:38 am

President Donald Trump said India has offered to reduce tariffs on U.S. goods to zero, even as Washington maintains steep duties on Indian imports and New Delhi strengthens ties with Russia and China at the SCO summit.

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Trump’s Remark on India’s Tariffs

President Donald Trump announced that India has offered to cut tariffs on U.S. goods to zero, calling the long-standing trade relationship “one sided.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote:

“They have now offered to cut their tariffs to nothing, but it’s getting late. They should have done so years ago.”

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The comments came after Trump imposed tariffs of up to 50% on Indian goods, citing India’s refusal to stop buying discounted Russian crude oil.

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Modi’s Diplomacy in China

Trump’s remarks coincided with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tianjin, China, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. There, Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in what analysts described as a clear signal of solidarity among non-Western powers.

With Xi Jinping: Modi and Xi agreed that India and China are “development partners, not rivals,” and announced steps to improve trade ties.
With Vladimir Putin: Modi reaffirmed India’s energy partnership with Russia, which now supplies 37% of India’s oil imports.

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Images from the summit showed Modi, Putin, and Xi holding hands and smiling, underscoring a united front at a time of growing U.S. trade pressure.

U.S.–India Relations Under Strain

The U.S.–India partnership had strengthened in recent years, partly due to shared concerns about China’s rise. However, Trump’s tariffs — along with Washington’s criticism of India’s Russian oil imports — have introduced fresh tensions.

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While Trump highlighted India’s apparent offer to lower tariffs, neither the Indian Embassy in Washington nor the U.S. State Department immediately commented on the claim.

The Bigger Picture

Trump’s global tariff offensive has reshaped trade diplomacy. By forcing India into a defensive position, Washington risks pushing New Delhi closer to Moscow and Beijing, even as Trump suggests India is ready to make concessions.

Analysts caution that while a zero-tariff pledge could ease tensions, the timing, scope, and political follow-through remain unclear.