‘For years, India took advantage of US’: Trump on India-US trade ties

US President Donald Trump said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a good friend and expressed confidence that the United States and India would reach a trade agreement. “We will get to a deal because I like your prime minister a lot. He is a good friend of mine. We get along great, and we are gonna make a deal,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office on Thursday.

Responding to a question on the trade deal being negotiated between the two countries, Trump said India had taken advantage of US policies for years and charged “tremendous tariffs”. “They charged tremendous amounts of tariffs to our companies, and we didn't charge them anything,” Trump said. A US delegation was in India earlier this week and concluded four days of negotiations on an interim bilateral agreement on Thursday.

India's commerce ministry said the trade talks were marked by a spirit of cooperation and pragmatism, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to concluding a mutually beneficial agreement that strengthens bilateral trade and economic ties. “For years, India took advantage of the United States. They charged us tremendous tariffs and paid nothing. Now it is the exact reverse and we are making a lot of money with India,” he said.