India imposes 150 per cent tariff on American alcohol, says White House Press Secretary

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt held up a chart that showed tariffs charged by India, Canada and Japan. Pic/PTI

The United States (US) again raised the issue of tariffs that India imposes on its goods, citing high tariffs on American alcohol and agricultural products.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made references to high tariffs by India during a press briefing on Tuesday when she was responding to a question on Canada.

"Canada has been ripping off the United States of America and hard-working Americans for decades. If you look at the rates of tariffs across the board that Canadians have been imposing on the American people and our workers here, it is egregious. In fact, I have a handy dandy chart here that shows not just Canada, but the rate of tariffs across the board. If you look at Canada¿American cheese and butter, nearly 300 per cent tariff," she said.

"You look at India, 150 per cent tariff on American alcohol. You think that's helping Kentucky bourbon be exported into India? I don't think so... 100 per cent tariff on agricultural products from India. Look at Japan, tariffing rice 700 per cent," Leavitt said.

She held up a chart that showed tariffs charged by India, Canada and Japan. On the chart, two circles with the colors of the tri-colour highlighted the tariffs that India imposes.

"President (Donald) Trump believes in reciprocity, and it is about dang time that we have a president who actually looks out for the interests of American businesses and workers, and all he's asking for at the end of the day are fair and balanced trade practices, and unfortunately, Canada has not been treating us very fairly at all over the past several decades," she said.

For the past few days, President Trump has been criticising the high tariffs charged by India.

On March 7, he said India has agreed to cut its tariffs "way down" as he repeated his assertion that the country charges America massive tariffs.

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