"US-India ties built over 25 years going down drain in 25 hours": USISPF president Aghi

New Delhi [India], September 2 : President and CEO of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), Mukesh Aghi, has criticised the United States' move to impose secondary tariffs on India, describing them as "uncalled for" and warning that the decision risks undermining decades of progress in bilateral ties. He made the remarks while speaking to ANI.

"What's disappointing is the relationship built over last 25 years is going down the drain in 25 hours...It is important that we stay committed, as both India and US need each other...The secondary tariffs are uncalled for," Aghi said.

He noted that New Delhi has responded with maturity to recent remarks made on social media by US President Donald Trump.

"India has not reacted in any negative manner on the Truth Social posts by the US President...Why is the President Trump tweeting? There are multiple stories, one is that he wants to win the Nobel Prize, the other is that the advice he is getting is incorrect...What's disappointing is the relationship built over the last 25 years is going down the drain in 25 hours...It is important that we stay committed, as both India and the US need each other...The secondary tariffs are uncalled for," he added.

On President Trump's claims that India has offered to reduce tariffs to zero, Aghi urged that such statements must be weighed carefully.

"...There are certain comments that the President makes, and you have to take it with certain weightage or non-weightage to it. It is important to understand that when a tweet comes out or something on Truth Social, some may have substance and some may not. I think people of India are mature and they have to do what they have to do for the good of the country," he said.

Aghi also underlined that while both countries are suffering from the trade tensions, the outlook of American businesses towards India remains overwhelmingly positive.

"Both sides are suffering due to this unreasonable secondary tariff put on India...The overall sentiment among US CEOs is very positive; they are not slowing down their investments. The confidence, trust and faith in India continues among the CEOs in the US," he told ANI.

His remarks came against the backdrop of Indian goods facing a steep 50 per cent tariff in the US imposed by President Donald Trump's administration. The US President has claimed that the business relationship between the two countries for many decades has been "totally one sided", a "one-sided disaster" and also said that "they have now offered to cut their tariffs to nothing, but it's getting late".

In a post on Monday on his social media handle Truth Social, Trump said India has charged US "such high tariffs, the most of any country, that our businesses are unable to sell into India".

"What few people understand is that we do very little business with India, but they do a tremendous amount of business with us. In other words, they sell us massive amounts of goods, their biggest 'client,' but we sell them very little - Until now a totally one sided relationship, and it has been for many decades. The reason is that India has charged us, until now, such high Tariffs, the most of any country, that our businesses are unable to sell into India," he said.

"It has been a totally one sided disaster! Also, India buys most of its oil and military products from Russia, very little from the U.S. They have now offered to cut their Tariffs to nothing, but it's getting late. They should have done so years ago. Just some simple facts for people to ponder!!!" he added.

Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on India in July amid negotiations for a BTA between the two countries. He later announced 25 per cent secondary tariffs for India's import of Russian oil with 50 per cent tariffs coming into effect from August 27.

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