02 May,2025 04:32 PM IST | New York | mid-day online correspondent
US Vice-President JD Vance had met PM Modi at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi during his India visit last month. File pic
United States (US) Vice-President JD Vance has called Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi a "tough negotiator" and accused New Delhi of taking advantage of America, while also predicting that India could be among the first countries to strike a trade deal to avert reciprocal tariffs, reported news agency PTI.
In an interview with a media house on Thursday, Vance said "good negotiations" were now on with India on tariffs.
India is among the countries negotiating with the US to avoid the high import taxes, most of them on pause right now, announced by President Donald Trump.
"Modi, the Prime Minister, is a tough negotiator, but we're going to rebalance that relationship, and that's why the president's doing what he's doing," Vance said during the interview.
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When asked if India is the first deal coming through, Vance replied, "I don't know if it'll be your first deal, I think it would be among the first deals for sure. Pretty soon the President look, we've got negotiations with Japan, with Korea, we've got negotiations going on with some folks in Europe, and obviously we've got a good negotiation going on in India."
President Trump had announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs on a number of countries, including India and China, on April 2. However, a week later, he announced a 90-day suspension of these tariffs until July 9, except for those on China and Hong Kong, as about 75 countries approached America for trade deals.
Indians have taken advantage of us for a very long time: JD Vance
However, the 10 per cent baseline tariff imposed on the countries on April 2 remains in effect, along with the 25 per cent duties on steel, aluminium, and auto components.
"What the President has said is, we just want to rebalance trade. So some of the conversations I've had in India, for example, I think most Americans may not know, may not appreciate this, we have great agricultural products. Our farmers are making great things, but the Indian market is effectively closed off to American farmers. So what that means is that it makes American farmers and American consumers more reliant on foreign competitors to grow the food that we eat. What our India deal will do, fundamentally, I think, is open up India to American technology. It will open up India to American farmers," the US Vice-President said.
He also claimed that the deal will create more good American jobs, adding, "And it's the kind of trade deal that Donald Trump loves."
He also refuted claims of Trump being "anti-trade". "He's anti-unfair trade. He's not entirely the kind of trade where foreign competitors take advantage of us, the Indians, let's be honest, they've taken advantage of us for a very long time," said Vance.
New Delhi and Washington are now holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement as agreed during PM Modi's talks with President Trump in Washington DC in February. The trade pact is expected to address several issues, including tariff and market access.
(With PTI inputs)
