- By Shivangi Sharma
- Sun, 28 Sep 2025 12:54 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has sharpened his rhetoric against India and Brazil, warning that both countries must “react correctly” to American demands or face escalating consequences. Speaking to NewsNation, Lutnick stressed that Washington is prepared to push back harder against what he called unfair trade and energy practices.
“We have a bunch of countries to fix, like Switzerland, Brazil, India, these are countries that need to really react correctly to America,” Lutnick said. He urged the nations to open their markets and “stop taking actions that harm America.”
India, which already faces some of the highest US trade levies, including tariffs reaching 50 per cent, has been a recurring focus of Lutnick’s criticism. “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 said, hinting that pressure on India could intensify if it resists Washington’s terms.
Escalating Criticism Of India
Lutnick’s comments mark the latest in a series of sharp remarks on New Delhi’s trade and energy policies. He has previously dismissed India’s pushback against Trump-era tariffs as “bravado,” arguing that its defiance in negotiations is largely symbolic.
Speaking to Bloomberg earlier this week, he predicted India would eventually return to the table under pressure from domestic businesses. “It feels good to fight with the biggest client in the world, but eventually your businesses are going to say, ‘you’ve got to stop this and go make a deal with America,’” Lutnick said.
The Commerce Secretary has also criticised India’s surging purchases of discounted Russian crude oil since the invasion of Ukraine, calling the policy “plain wrong” and “ridiculous.” He stressed that India must decide “which side it wants to be on.”
Trade Tensions With Brazil
Brazil has also come under fire. Trump imposed a sweeping 50 per cent tariff on all Brazilian imports in August, citing what he described as a “witch hunt” against former President Jair Bolsonaro. The move ignited a diplomatic standoff, with Brazil filing a complaint at the World Trade Organisation and slapping reciprocal tariffs on US goods.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva denounced the tariffs as “unacceptable blackmail,” vowing not to “humiliate” Brazil by negotiating under such conditions.