U.S. gets along with India very well, but trade relationship was one-sided, says Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump said America gets along with India very well, but the relationship was “one-sided” for many years since New Delhi was charging Washington “tremendous tariffs”.

“No, we get along with India very well,” Mr. Trump said in the White House on Tuesday (September 2, 2025) in response to a question on whether he is considering taking away some of the tariffs imposed on India.

He said that for many years, the relationship between India and the U.S. was “one-sided,” and that changed when he assumed office.

“India was charging us tremendous tariffs, about the highest in the world,” Mr. Trump said, adding that the U.S. was therefore not doing much business with India.

“But they were doing business with us because we weren’t charging them, foolishly, we weren’t charging them,” he said adding that India was pouring its products into the U.S..

“They’d send it in, pour it into our country. Therefore, it wouldn’t be made here, which is a negative, but we would not send in anything because they were charging us 100% tariffs,” Mr. Trump said.

The U.S. President cited the example of Harley Davidson motorcycles, saying the company couldn’t sell into India because there was a 200% tariff on a motorcycle. “So what happens? Harley Davidson went to India and built a motorcycle plant, and now they don’t have to pay tariffs, the same thing as us.”