US Congressman Ro Khanna has criticised President Donald Trump for imposing a massive 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, saying that Americans cannot allow the “ego of Donald Trump to destroy a strategic relationship with India”. He also suggested that Trump’s decision may have been influenced by India, unlike Pakistan, not having nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Khanna, a Democrat and co-chair of the India Caucus, also accused the Republican leader of undermining 30 years of bipartisan work to strengthen the US-India relations.
“He has imposed a 50 per cent tariff on India, higher than any other country other than Brazil. It’s a higher tariff than the tariff on China. It is hurting India’s exports of leather and textiles into the United States,” Khanna said in a video posted on his X handle.
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“And it’s hurting American manufacturers and our exports into India. It is also driving India towards China and towards Russia,” he added.
Khanna also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s not having nominated the US President for the Nobel Peace Prize was the reason behind the tariff move.
“Now, why is this happening? For very simple reasons. Prime Minister Modi refused to nominate Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize. Well, Pakistan did. And India has said that the border dispute with Pakistan is an internal matter, refusing to give Donald Trump credit,” he said.
“We can’t allow the ego of Donald Trump to destroy a strategic relationship with India that is key to ensuring that America leads and not China. To all those Indian-Americans who voted for Donald Trump, I’m asking you, where are you today while he destroys this relationship?” he added.
Trump’s decision to double tariffs on Indian goods has brought the US-India relationship to a low point. Indian officials have said that the two sides are in contact regarding trade-related matters and that New Delhi remains open to finalising a bilateral trade deal, though key aides of Trump have repeatedly targeted India for “profiteering” from its purchases of Russian oil.
Earlier this week, Trump claimed credit for ending military hostilities between India and Pakistan in May and sought to seek New Delhi’s endorsement for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination during a June 17 phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, The New York Times reported on Saturday.
A report by American multinational investment bank and financial services company Jefferies claimed that the tariffs on Indian goods are largely a result of Trump’s “personal pique” at not being allowed to mediate in the India-Pakistan conflict.
“India has never accepted third party intervention in its relations with Pakistan and this remains a “red line” despite the economic costs of depriving the 47th American president of one of his opportunities to win the Nobel Peace Prize,” it said.
A report by The New York Times also said Trump claimed credit for ending military hostilities between India and Pakistan in May and sought to seek New Delhi’s endorsement for a Nobel Peace Prize nomination during a June 17 phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The PM reportedly told Trump that US involvement “had nothing to do with the recent cease-fire”, and that matters had been “settled directly between India and Pakistan”.
