‘India will return to make deal with Trump in months’, US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick

WASHINGTON,DC: US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that despite India maintaining a firm position on continuing oil trade with Russia, New Delhi would eventually return to the table to strike a deal with Washington in the coming months.

Speaking to Bloomberg TV, Lutnick said, “So I think, yes, in a month or two months, I think India is going to be at the table and they’re going to say they’re sorry and they’re going to try to make a deal with Donald Trump.”

He further cautioned that India would face consequences if it failed to align with the US. “If India does not support the United States, they will have to pay 50 per cent tariffs on its exports to the US,” he warned.

The remarks came as US President Donald Trump addressed his post on Truth Social, where he had earlier spoken of losing “India and Russia to China.” On Friday, Trump clarified that he does not think that has happened.

Responding to ANI while addressing the media at the White House, Trump also expressed disappointment with India purchasing Russian oil and spoke about the 50 per cent tariffs imposed by the United States on India.

On being asked whom he blames for losing India to China in his post earlier on Friday, the US President said, “I don’t think we have. I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia. I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India- 50 per cent, very high tariff. I get along very well with (PM) Modi as you know. He was here couple of months ago, in fact we went to the Rose Garden and had a press conference.”His remarks followed a few days after India, Russia and China stood together at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meet in Tianjin, where Trump, in a social media post on Truth Social, had said that the US has “lost Russia and India to deepest, darkest China.”

“Looks like  we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” Trump wrote.

Earlier on Friday, Peter Navarro, Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing for US President Donald Trump, again accused India of profiteering from Russian oil in his latest slew of remarks, alongside alleging that India’s tariffs cost “Americans’ jobs”.

Also on Friday, the White House Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett said that US President Donald Trump and the trade team are “disappointed” with India’s continued imports of Russian crude oil, but hoped for positive developments.

“I think that the trade team and the President are disappointed that India continues to fund Russia’s Ukraine war…Hopefully, it’s a democratic issue, and we’ll have positive developments,” Hassett said, answering a question from ANI during a media interaction.

Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) declined to comment on US President Donald Trump’s latest remarks in which he mentioned India, Russia and China.

On the front of the India-US trade issues, the MEA spokesperson affirmed that India “continues to remain engaged with the US side on trade issues.”
The United States has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, including 25 per cent penalty for importing Russian oil. The Indian Government had earlier said that India’s ties with any country stand on their own merit and should not be viewed through the prism of a third country. (ANI)