Donald Trump ahead of G20: Recent tariff hike by India is unacceptable

Pic/ANI

Before the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that India should withdraw the "unacceptable" high tariffs which were recently imposed by the country on Washington.

He also said that he will raise this issue with Modi during their ensuing meeting on the sidelines of G-20 Summit.

"I look forward to speaking with Prime Minister Modi about the fact that India, for years having put very high Tariffs against the United States, just recently increased the Tariffs even further. This is unacceptable and the Tariffs must be withdrawn!" tweeted Trump.

This happened a day after US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo held bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar and acknowledged that there were issues between the two countries on trade and committed themselves to solve differences between them.

For those unversed, India had imposed retaliatory tariffs on 25 American goods, less than two weeks after US President Donald Trump announced an end to preferential trade treatment for India over the trade barriers.

The Trump-Modi meeting assumes significance in the wake of the strain that has popped up in the bilateral relationship on a host of trade and economic issues. The Trump administration wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lower the trade barriers and embrace "fair and reciprocal" trade.

Last year, India had announced tariffs in retaliation to higher US import duties on steel and aluminium.

Trump has repeatedly called out India for its high tariffs.

Meanwhile, Modi reached Osaka early in the morning and will hold first meeting with Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Trump and Modi are expected to meet on June 28.

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