Former US President Donald Trump claimed in a major speech that India imposes the highest tariffs on foreign products compared to other major countries. He promised that if he is elected again, he would introduce a reciprocal tax, aiming to make trade between the US and other countries, including India, fairer.

In his speech in Detroit, Trump talked about the idea of "reciprocity" in trade. He explained that while the US usually doesn’t charge high taxes on goods from other countries, countries like China, Brazil, and India charge a lot when American goods are sold there. Trump said that India is the country that charges the most, even more than China in some cases.

“India is a very big charger. We have a great relationship with India. I did. And especially the leader, Modi. He's a great leader. Great man. Really is a great man. He's brought it together. He's done a great job. But they probably charge as much,” he said.

“I mean, I think they probably charge more than, in many ways, China. But they do it with a smile. They do it... Sort of a nicer charge. They said, Thank you so much for purchasing from India. Harley Davidson came to the White House a long time ago during my third or second year. I met with them. They were based in Wisconsin. I said, How's business? Good, good. What are the bad countries? Well, India is very tough. And they gave me some others. Why? Tariffs. I said, What are they? And they said like 150 percent, some massive amount,” Trump told the members of the Detroit Economic Club.

“I said so. Do you sell many motorcycles because you think people want to buy a Harley? No, we sell very few in India, but they want us to go there. They said, if you go there and build your plant there, we're not going to charge you anything. I mean, you can do whatever you want. I said I don't like that. And I see they went, they built the plant, and now they do their business with India. They probably do it outside of India too. They built a very big plant in many countries; they do that. Then all of a sudden, you hear that they're leaving Milwaukee or they're leaving wherever they may be located,” he said.

Trump’s praise for Modi and India

Despite his criticisms of India’s tariff policies, in a recent interview on the podcast Flagrant with comedians Andrew Schultz and Akash Singh, former U.S. President Donald Trump praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing his leadership qualities and the stability he brought to India after years of political uncertainty. Trump expressed admiration for Modi, calling him "the nicest human being," while also noting that Modi can be tough when necessary.

Trump talked about the political problems in India before Modi became Prime Minister in 2014. He said that before Modi, Indian leaders were changing often, which made things unstable. Trump explained, "Before him, they were replacing Indian PMs every year; it was very unstable." He added that Modi brought stability and strength to India's leadership. Trump also called Modi a friend and said that although Modi looks like a fatherly figure, he is strong when there are difficulties.

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Trump mentioned the success of the "Howdy Modi" event in Houston, Texas, in 2019. This event was held to celebrate the friendship between the United States and India, and more than 80,000 people attended. Trump remembered how the stadium was full of excitement when he and Modi walked through the crowd, waving to the people. He described the event as "beautiful" and said it showed the strong relationship between the U.S. and India.

Trump’s remarks on Thursday reflect his ongoing campaign to challenge what he perceives as unfair trade practices, particularly when it comes to tariffs. He reiterated his commitment to making America wealthy again through a focus on fairer trade agreements and policies that encourage reciprocity with other nations.

Countdown to U.S. Election

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, things are getting more intense in American politics. The election is set for November 5, 2024, and people all over the world, including India, are watching closely. The race is expected to be very close, with the two main candidates almost even in the polls.

Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate and current Vice President, became more popular after she was officially nominated in August. But recently, events like a big hurricane in North Carolina, problems in the Middle East, and worries about rising prices have led more people to support Donald Trump again.

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