By Khabar Rojana 
US National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett called trade negotiations with New Delhi ‘complicated’ and accused India of “intransigence” in opening its markets to American products.
A day after 50% Trump’s tariff came into effect in India, US President’s top economic adviser on Thursday issued another another warning saying if India fails to curb its Russian crude trade, the US will not ease his stance on Washington’s punitive tariffs on Indian imports. US National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett called trade negotiations with New Delhi ‘complicated’ and accused India of “intransigence” in opening its markets to American products.
If the Indians don’t budge…: Kevin Hassett
“If the Indians don’t budge, I don’t think President Trump will,” he said as the United States on Wednesday doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a staggering 50 per cent, the highest for any country other than Brazil.
Hassett further stated that the trade negotiations with India were complicated and claimed part of it “has been tied to the pressure we’ve been trying to put on Russia in order to secure a peace deal and save millions of lives. And then there’s the Indian intransigence about opening their markets to our products.”
Kevin Hassett links India-US trade negotiations to a marathon
Terming India-US trade negotiations as a marathon, Hassett said talks need a long-term outlook and acceptance of “ebbs and flows” before New Delhi and Washington reach the final position.
“When you look at trade negotiations, one lesson we’ve all learnt is that you need to keep your eyes on the horizon and recognise that there are going to be ebbs and flows before we reach the final position,” he said.
Here’s what Scott Bessent said on high tariffs on India
The statement from Trump adviser echoed US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s earlier comments, when he said high tariffs on India are “not just over India’s purchase of Russian oil” but also due to the protracted nature of the ongoing trade deal talks.
“I’d thought we’d have a deal in May or June; that India could be one of the earliest deals. But they, kind of, tapped us along,” Bessent told Fox Business on Wednesday.
Bessent had also claimed that New Delhi had been “a bit uncooperative” during negotiations and said, “This is a very complicated relationship.”
“I do think India is the world’s largest democracy, and the US is the world’s largest economy. I think at the end of the day we will come together,” he added.
Check India’s clear stand on Trump’s tariffs
However, India asserted that it is prepared to withstand any US pressure, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he would “never compromise” the interests of the country’s farmers.
According to the government estimates, the tariffs will impact $48.2 billion worth of Indian exports to the US. Moreover, the officials warned that, though the immediate impact of new duties appears limited, the effects on the economy pose challenges that must be addressed.
In the meantime, India said it is hopeful of resuming negotiations on the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US soon and addressing the issue of high tariffs imposed by Washington on Indian goods will be key to striking the deal.
However, the official said the new dates for the next round of negotiations for the agreement have not yet been finalised. “We are hopeful to get back on the table soon. whenever we strike a deal, both the tariffs (additional 25 per cent and 25 per cent on purchase of Russian oil) need to be addressed,” the official said.
The two countries started negotiations for BTA in March. So far, five rounds of negotiations have been completed. The US team, which was scheduled to visit India from August 25, for the next round of negotiations for the agreement, postponed the meeting.
The talks are paused as the US is pressing for greater market access in politically sensitive areas such as agri and dairy sectors, which India cannot accept as it affects the livelihood of small and marginal farmers.