WASHINGTON: Differences between the US and India cannot be resolved overnight to arrive at a trade deal, a senior US official told reporters late on Thursday, citing geopolitical disagreements.
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday Washington was still negotiating with India on trade after announcing earlier that day the US would impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from the country starting on Friday.
The 25 percent figure would single out India more severely than other major trading partners, and threaten to unravel months of talks between the two countries, undermining a strategic partner of Washington’s and a counterbalance to China.
“Our challenges with India, they’ve always been a pretty closed market... there are a host of other kind of geopolitical issues,” the US official said.
“You’ve seen the president express concern about, you know, membership in BRICS, purchases of Russian oil and that kind of thing.”
