Washington: In a renewed warning to India amid ongoing trade talks, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a close aide to former President Donald Trump, said India “needs fixing” and must align with American interests if it wishes to continue accessing the US market.
Taking aim at India and Brazil, Lutnick said both countries must open their markets and stop taking actions that harm America. In an interview with NewsNation, he remarked, “We have a bunch of countries to fix, like Switzerland, Brazil, India - these are countries that need to really react correctly to America. Open their markets, stop taking actions that harm America, and that's why we're off sides with them.”
India is already grappling with steep US tariffs, including levies of up to 50 per cent on certain goods and a recent 100 per cent duty on branded and patented pharmaceutical products. The move has hit Indian pharmaceutical firms hard, as nearly 40 per cent of their revenue comes from the US. Of the 50 per cent tariffs, 25 per cent is a penalty linked to India’s continued imports of Russian oil.
“These countries (India and Brazil) have to understand that if you want to sell to the US consumers, you've got to play ball with the President of the United States,” Lutnick said, adding that Trump’s negotiating style makes the first deal the most favorable. “The way that President Trump does deals, the first deal is always the best deal. And then the next deal is higher, the next deal is higher, the next deal's higher.”
He further noted that while several trade negotiations remain unresolved, India and Brazil are among the “big ones” on Washington’s agenda. “You still have Taiwan. That's a big one that's coming pretty soon. I expect to really be talking to them and sorting that out. So a bunch of countries left, but the big ones, India and Brazil, are little...but we'll sort it out over time,” Lutnick said.
Against this backdrop, India and the US have resumed trade talks. A delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited Washington from September 22 to 24, meeting US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer and Ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor.
The Commerce Ministry described the discussions as productive, noting that “the delegation had constructive meetings with the US Government on various aspects of the deal. Both sides exchanged views on possible contours of the deal, and it was decided to continue the engagement with a view to achieve an early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Trade Agreement”. Indian officials also engaged with US businesses and investors, emphasizing confidence in India’s growth prospects and opportunities for expanded investment.