US President Donald Trump has said the trade deal with India will remain unchanged, describing it as an arrangement under which India pays tariffs while the United States does not. Speaking at a press conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Trump said there were no immediate plans to renegotiate the agreement.
“Deal with India – they pay tariffs, we don’t. Trade deal with India stands as is,” he said. His remarks signal that the existing terms of the agreement will remain in place. “Prime Minister Modi is a great man, but he was much tougher in negotiations with others than he was in the deal with the United States,” Trump said, adding, “We made a fair agreement with India.”
The comments come after Trump on Friday announced the imposition of a 10% global tariff for 150 days, using a separate legal authority after the Supreme Court struck down some of his earlier emergency duties.
Trump said the order would be made under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and that the new duties would be in addition to tariffs already in place. The statute allows a president to impose tariffs of up to 15% for up to 150 days on any and all countries to address “large and serious” balance-of-payments issues. It does not require formal investigations or impose additional procedural limits.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump had exceeded his authority by imposing sweeping global tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), declaring those duties unlawful.
Speaking at a press briefing at the White House, Trump said: “We have alternatives, great alternatives.” He added: “Could be more money. We’ll take in more money and we’ll be a lot stronger for it.” The President also said his administration was launching several investigations under Section 301, which addresses unfair trade practices. He said the inquiries were intended “to protect our country from unfair trading practices of other countries and companies.”
Trump’s decision to rely on other statutory powers, including Section 122, while initiating new investigations under Section 301, had been widely anticipated. However, tariffs imposed under Section 122 can remain in effect for only 150 days unless extended, and Section 301 investigations typically take months to complete.
