U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday (July 31, 2025) mentioned President Donald Trump and the entire trade negotiation team had been “frustrated” with India over the trade talks.
His feedback got here a day after Mr. Trump introduced the imposition of a 25% tariff on all items coming from India beginning August 1, plus an unspecified penalty for purchasing Russian crude oil and army tools.
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“Well, I don’t know what’s going to happen. It will be up to India. India came to the table early. They’ve been slow rolling things. So I think that the President, the whole trade team, has been frustrated with them,” Mr. Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.
He also said India has been a large buyer of oil from Russia, which is facing sanctions, and reselling the crude as refined products. “So, they [India] have not been a great global actor,” he added.
Mr. Trump’s shock announcement on Wednesday is being seen as a stress tactic to get New Delhi to conform to calls for made by the U..S, which has, in current days, received beneficial trade offers with main companions resembling Japan, the U.Okay. and the European Union.
India has mentioned it’s going to take all vital steps to safeguard and promote nationwide curiosity and that the implications of the tariffs are being examined.
