Trump Hits India with 26% Tariff, Calls for 'Fair Trade'

US President Donald Trump has announced new import tariffs, imposing increased rates on several countries, including a 26% tariff on Indian imports. Speaking at the ‘Make America Wealthy Again’ event on Wednesday (local time), Trump called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “great friend” but criticized India’s trade policies, claiming the country charges the US 52% in tariffs while the US charges India “almost nothing.”

“India is very, very tough. The Prime Minister just left and is a great friend of mine, but you are not treating us right. They charge us 52%, and we charge them almost nothing,” Trump said.

The US President highlighted disparities in tariffs on motorcycles, stating that while the US imposes only a 2.4% tariff on foreign motorcycles, countries like Thailand, India, and Vietnam charge significantly higher rates—60%, 70%, and 75%, respectively.

In a major policy shift, Trump announced a 25% tariff on all foreign-made automobiles, citing national security concerns and the decline of American industries due to trade imbalances. “Such horrendous imbalances have devastated our industrial base and put our national security at risk. I don't blame these other countries at all for this calamity. I blame former presidents and past leaders who weren’t doing their job. Effective at midnight, we will impose a 25% tariff on all foreign-made automobiles,” he declared.

The revised tariff rates on other key trading partners include China (34%), the European Union (20%), Vietnam (46%), Taiwan (32%), Japan (24%), the United Kingdom (10%), Bangladesh (37%), Pakistan (29%), Sri Lanka (44%), and Israel (17%).

Trump emphasized that the move marks the end of what he called decades of exploitation, ensuring that American taxpayers would no longer be “ripped off.” “Our country and its taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years, but it is not going to happen anymore,” he asserted.

The President further announced a historic executive order instituting reciprocal tariffs, meaning the US will match tariffs imposed by other countries. “This is one of the most important days in American history. It is our Declaration of Economic Independence,” he proclaimed. “For years, hardworking American citizens were forced to sit on the sidelines as other nations got rich and powerful at our expense. With today’s action, we are finally going to make America great again—greater than ever before.”

The White House confirmed on Tuesday that the tariffs would go into effect immediately.

Also Read: Trump Hails Modi as 'Smart Man, Great Friend'; Confident About India-US Tariff Talks