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US President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser has warned that unless India reins in its Russian crude trade, the US will not soften its stance on Washington’s steep tariffs on Indian imports. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett described talks with New Delhi as “complicated,” accusing India of “intransigence” in opening its markets.
Hassett argued that part of the dispute is tied to US pressure on Russia, adding: “When you look at trade negotiations, one lesson we’ve all learnt is that you need to keep your eyes on the horizon and recognise that there are going to be ebbs and flows before we reach the final position.”
“If the Indians don’t budge, I don’t think President Trump will,” Hassett said, after the US doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent — the highest for any country other than Brazil. The duties include a 25 per cent levy linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil.
His remarks echoed US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said high tariffs on India are “not just over India’s purchase of Russian oil” but also because “this is a very complicated relationship.”
“I’d thought we’d have a deal in May or June; that India could be one of the earliest deals. But they, kind of, tapped us along,” Bessent told Fox Business. Still, he added, “I do think India is the world’s largest democracy, and the US is the world’s largest economy. I think at the end of the day we will come together.”
His remarks came a day after US Vice President J D Vance told NBC News that Trump had applied “aggressive economic leverage”, including “secondary tariffs on India” to “make it harder for the Russians to get rich from their oil economy” and force Russia to stop bombing Ukraine.
India, however, has taken a firm stand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed he would “never compromise” on farmers’ interests.
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