‘Taking advantage of us’: Trump’s fresh swipe at India over USAID funding, tariff
US President says India doesn’t need aid as it is one of the ‘highest tariffed nations in the world’
Doubling down on his criticism over the alleged disbursal of funds by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to influence voter turnout in India, US President Donald Trump has questioned why his country was providing aid to India when the latter was already benefitting from high tariffs.
‘They take advantage of us’
“18 million dollars for helping India with its elections. Why the hell? Why don't we just go to old paper ballots, and let them help us with their elections, right? Voter ID. Wouldn't that be nice? We're giving money to India for elections. They don't need money," Trump was quoted as saying while addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Also read: Trump rakes up again alleged $21 million USAID payment to India
Trump also took a swipe at India over high taxes, accusing the latter of taking advantage of the US.
“They take advantage of us pretty good. One of the highest tariffed nations in the world. We try and sell something. They have a 200 per cent tariff. And then we’re giving them a lot of money to help them with their election,” he said.
USAID was allowed in India in good faith: Jaishankar
The American president’s remarks came after Indian Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar in an event on Saturday, said the claims about USAID funding of $21 million was concerning and the government was looking into it.
Jaishankar said USAID was allowed in India "in good faith, to do good faith activities", and suggestions are being made out of America that "there are activities which are in bad faith".
"So, it surely warrants a look. And, if there is something to it, I think the country should know who are the people involved in the bad faith activities," the external affairs minister had said.
Also read: Congress on the offensive after report rebuts USAID payment to India
Addressing an event in Miami on Thursday, Trump had questioned the USAID funding of $21 million for voter turnout in India and wondered whether it was trying to get someone else elected.
India on Friday said the revelations about USAID funding for certain activities in the country are "deeply troubling" and have led to concerns about foreign interference in its internal affairs.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to a query during his weekly briefing, had said "relevant departments and agencies are looking into this matter".
Trump reasserts stance on reciprocal taxes
Trump on Saturday also reiterated his government’s commitment to impose reciprocal taxes on India and China, a repeat of what he had conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s visit to Washington.
“We'll soon impose reciprocal tariffs because that means, they charge us, we charge them. It’s very simple. Whatever a company or a country, such as let's say India or China or any of them, whatever they charge, we want to be fair ... so reciprocal. Reciprocal meaning, 'they charge us, we charge them',” he said at the swearing-in of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick
“We haven't done that; we have never done that. We are getting ready to do it,” Trump said.