"If Indians Don't Budge...": Trump Adviser's New Trade Warning To New Delhi

Donald Trump's top economic adviser has warned that if India fails to curb its Russian crude trade, the US President will not ease his stance on Washington's punitive tariffs on Indian imports. US National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett called trade negotiations with New Delhi "complicated", as he accused India of "intransigence" in opening its markets to American products. 

"If the Indians don't budge, I don't think President Trump will," he said. The United States on Wednesday doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a staggering 50 per cent, the highest for any country other than Brazil. This includes a 25 per cent additional duty for India's purchase of Russian crude oil.

"Indian Intransigence" 🤯: US Economic Adviser - "If the Indians Don't Budge, I Don't Think Trump Will Either"

Kevin Hassett seems to think that protecting India's rights and rejecting elements of an FTA that aren't mutually beneficial is INTRANSIGENT - simply India refusing to… https://t.co/gBZ3C9DEFS pic.twitter.com/cnWGXmUwAP

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) August 28, 2025

Hassett said trade negotiations with India were "complicated", claiming part of it "has been tied to the pressure we've been trying to put on Russia in order to secure a peace deal and save millions of lives. And then there's the Indian intransigence about opening their markets to our products."

Linking India-US trade negotiations to a marathon, Hassett said talks require a long-term outlook and acceptance of "ebbs and flows" before New Delhi and Washington reach the final position.

"When you look at trade negotiations, one lesson we've all learnt is that you need to keep your eyes on the horizon and recognise that there are going to be ebbs and flows before we reach the final position," he said.

Team Trump's Tariff Outlook

The Trump adviser's remarks echoed US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's earlier comments, where he said high tariffs on India are "not just over India's purchase of Russian oil" but also due to the protracted nature of the ongoing trade deal talks.

"I'd thought we'd have a deal in May or June; that India could be one of the earliest deals. But they, kind of, tapped us along," Bessent told Fox Business on Wednesday. 

He claimed New Delhi had been "a bit uncooperative" during negotiations and said, "This is a very complicated relationship."

"I do think India is the world's largest democracy, and the US is the world's largest economy. I think at the end of the day we will come together," he added.

India's Stand

India has asserted that it is prepared to stand firm against US pressure, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing he would "never compromise" the interests of the country's farmers.

The government estimates the tariffs will impact $48.2 billion worth of Indian exports to the US. Officials have warned that, though the immediate impact of new duties appears limited, the ripple effects on the economy pose challenges that must be addressed.

The new duties could make shipments to the US commercially unviable, triggering job losses and slower economic growth, they said.