“They Are Willing to Charge Us No Tariff”: Trump Claims India Offered to Remove Duties on US Goods Amid Ongoing Trade Talks

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Doha: In a surprise statement made during a business meeting in Doha, Qatar, US President Donald Trump claimed that India has offered to remove all tariffs on goods coming from the United States. “They are willing to literally charge us no tariff,” Trump said, without offering any further details or documentation to support the assertion. The Indian government has not officially responded to this claim as of now.

Trump’s remarks come just ahead of Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to the United States starting May 16, where he will lead high-level trade talks aimed at resolving pending issues between the two countries. The visit follows an April trip by US Vice President JD Vance to New Delhi, during which tariff tensions and trade facilitation were key points of discussion.

During his address, Trump also targeted Apple CEO Tim Cook, revealing a tense exchange about Apple’s India manufacturing plans. “I don’t want you building in India,” Trump said he told Cook, urging him to expand production in the US instead. Apple has recently ramped up efforts to move part of its supply chain to India as it seeks to reduce its dependence on China.

Trump’s comments have sparked fresh controversy in India, which is still reacting to his earlier social media post suggesting he played a role in halting conflict between India and Pakistan by using trade leverage. Indian officials had firmly denied this claim.

The trade landscape remains volatile. While the US has paused additional tariffs on several trading partners (excluding China), progress in US-China trade talks — including a 90-day mutual tariff rollback — has raised concerns in India. Indian exporters fear that American businesses, which had shifted operations from China to India, may reverse course.

India is currently exploring both a limited trade deal, possibly within the next 45 days, and a more comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement, which may be finalised by September or October, officials said. In parallel, New Delhi has warned of retaliatory tariffs in response to ongoing US duties on Indian steel and aluminium.

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