United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Tuesday said that Washington had received the “best ever” offer from India amid trade negotiations.
Greer told the US Senate Appropriations Committee that India has been a “difficult nut to crack”, citing New Delhi’s resistance to import agricultural products from the US.
“There’s resistance in India to certain row crops and other meats and products,” Greer said. “Like you said, they’re very difficult nut to crack. I agree with that 100%, but they have been quite forward leaning...the type of offers they’ve been talking to us about have been the best we have ever received, as a country.”
In August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that India will not compromise on the interests of its farmers, livestock keepers and fisherfolk. The prime minister’s comment was an apparent reference to the trade talks with the US.
On Tuesday, Greer added that he views India as a “viable alternative market”. His comments came as a US negotiations team is in India for the trade talks.
The combined US tariff rate for India is at 50%. A 25% so-called reciprocal duty was imposed on August 7, followed by an additional 25% punitive levy on August 27.
The punitive tariffs were introduced as part of US President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign against countries purchasing discounted oil from Russia amid Moscow’s war on Ukraine.
After the punitive levies were announced, New Delhi had said it was “extremely unfortunate” that the US had chosen to impose additional tariffs on India “for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest”.
However, trade talks between the two countries have gained fresh momentum in recent months.
On November 10, Trump said that Washington will bring down the tariffs imposed on India “at some point” and claimed that New Delhi has substantially reduced its purchase of Russian oil.
On Monday, Trump threatened to impose fresh tariffs on some agricultural products that Washington imports, including rice from India.
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