Jaishankar Defends Trade Talks Even as Trump Ridicules Countries Scrambling to Avoid Tariffs

New Delhi: As US President Donald Trump boasted that countries were “kissing my ass” to avoid sweeping new tariffs, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said India had opted for early engagement and was the “only country” to have reached an “understanding in principle” on a bilateral trade agreement during Trump’s second term.

Trump’s sweeping tariff package – announced with much fanfare – was in effect for less than 24 hours before being paused for 90 days. The baseline 10% tariff on all US imports remains in place, however, with China being the only country exempted.

In fact, the tariff on Chinese goods was increased from 104% to 125%.

On Tuesday night in Washington, during a fundraiser for House Republicans, Trump ridiculed world leaders eager to avoid the new trade penalties.

“These countries are calling us up, kissing my ass, they are dying to make a [trade] deal … ‘please, please sir, make a deal, I’ll do anything, I’ll do anything sir’,” he said.

He also mocked dissenting Republicans who suggested that Congress should take over trade negotiations. “Let me tell you, you don’t negotiate like I negotiate,” he said.

During the same speech, Trump announced he would soon impose sweeping tariffs on the pharmaceutical sector.

“Very shortly, [we] will announce major tariff on pharma, and when these companies hear that, they will leave China and other countries because most of their products are sold here. And they will be opening their plants here,” he said.

Several hours later in New Delhi, Jaishankar confirmed that India was not going to take the retaliation route or criticise the Trump government.

“Our strategy has been clear that we will engage with the Trump administration early on these issues,” he said.

Speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit, he added, “We’ve been open with them, as they have been with us. We are trying to negotiate a bilateral trade agreement by the fall of this year. We are the only country that has engaged the Trump administration on this. In fact, such an agreement has long been our objective, and there can be no better time than now.”

He even stated that “we had more discussion with Americans in the last six weeks than what we have had with European leaders in the past two years”.

Asked about the potential impact of the US tariff measures, he responded, “I don’t think it’s possible to say what the impact will be, because we don’t know yet. But our strategy is clear.”

Incidentally, India had also pushed for a trade agreement during Trump’s first term, but it never happened.

Later, during the weekly media briefing, in answer to a question, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The other question regarding President Trump's remarks, etc. We are engaged bilaterally for … concluding a bilateral trade agreement and we look forward to that. And as I told you that we have a comprehensive strategic partnership with the United States and we are committed to further strengthening it.”

Although Jaishankar said India was the “only country” to have reached an “understanding in principle” for a trade agreement with the Trump administration during his second term, this came a day after US trade representative Jamieson Greer told lawmakers that about 50 countries had reached out to negotiate rather than retaliate.

That figure was later updated to over 70 by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt – and then to more than 75 by Trump himself.

“The president met with his trade team this morning, and he directed them to have tailor-made trade deals with each and every country that calls up this administration to strike a deal,” Leavitt said at Tuesday’s press briefing.

India has been hit with a 27% tariff hike on exports to the US – one of the steepest among major developing economies.

China, slapped with a 104% tariff as of earlier on Wednesday, hit back with retaliatory duties of 84% on American goods.

Meanwhile, the EU – comprising 27 member states – has approved retaliatory tariffs on $23 billion worth of US products, from soybeans and fruit to motorcycles, clothes, beauty products and even dental floss, in response to earlier 25% US tariffs on imported steel and aluminium.

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