- By Raju Kumar
- Fri, 01 Aug 2025 01:11 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
US-India Tariff Row: United States President Donald Trump's announcement to impose tariffs on many countries, including India, cast a cloud over the upcoming India-US bilateral trade talks, slated to be held in three weeks, this month. Trump sparked controversy after declaring a 25 per cent tariff on India just ahead of crucial trade talks, seen as a hard negotiation move.
It is believed that Trump's move may prompt a trade and strategic conflict between the two countries. There is a buzz that India may rethink the F-35 fighter jets deal. Bloomberg reported that India has maintained silence on purchasing F-35 fighter jets from America. However, official confirmation on the development is awaited.
Meanwhile, Trump, who had earlier announced that the new tariff come into effect from August 1, has now postponed it for a week. The Bloomberg report suggested that India has shown no interest in buying the fighter jets amid Trump's hardening stand on tariffs against India.
Trump Proposed PM Modi To Purchase F-35 Fighter Jets
Bloomberg also claimed that when PM Modi visited the US in February, at that time, Trump had proposed an F-35 fighter jets deal. It was said that Trump was pressuring India to buy F-35 fighter jets. However, India has put this deal on hold due to alleged flaws in the F-35 fighter jet. It is worth noting that India has better options than F-35 fighter jets in the defence sector.
What Media Reports Say
According to Bloomberg report, quoting an official, despite increasing the purchase of American goods, the Modi government is unlikely to buy additional defence equipment from America. Trump has demanded this many times before. The report said that India has informed America that it is not interested in buying F-35 fighter jets.
India To Take All Steps To Protect The National Interest: Govt
Trump's 25 per cent tariff imposition on India from August 1 (deferred by a week) drew a sharp reaction from New Delhi as the government said it is examining the implications and will take all steps to protect the national interest.
"The government attaches the utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare of our farmers, workers, entrepreneurs, exporters, MSMEs and all sections of industry. We will take all necessary steps to secure and advance our national interest," Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal saidd in Parliament.
Govt's Response To Trump's Dead Economy Remark
Trump called India a "dead economy" sparking a political firestorm in India, hours after he announced a 25 per cent tariffs on import of Indian goods. As India analysed the possible impact of the 25 per cent tariffs announced in Washington, Trump targeted both India and Russia, saying they can take their "dead economies down together", in a fresh attack for their close trade ties.
In the backdrop of Trump's "dead economy" barb at India, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told Parliament on Thursday that India is the world's fastest-growing major economy and widely expected to be the "third largest economy" in a few years. Goyal also said India will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest and that the implications of the US tariffs are being examined.