India's response to the US proposal of 500% tariffs

The government has now issued a statement on the proposal introduced in the US Congress to impose 500% tariffs on India. The Ministry of External Affairs has issued a restrained but firm response. 

The Ministry of External Affairs stated that it is aware of the proposed bill and is closely monitoring developments. The ministry reiterated that India makes its energy decisions based on national interests.

The Ministry of External Affairs stated that India makes decisions to meet its energy needs based on the available options and prices in the global market. 

Ensuring energy security for 1.4 billion people is a priority for the government, and access to affordable energy from various sources is essential. The Ministry clarified that India's position on this issue has been clear for a long time and has been communicated from time to time.

Will there be no India-US trade deal now? Update has arrived.

The US Commerce Secretary recently discussed relations with India in a podcast. Responding to a question about the trade deal, he said that while negotiations were underway, US President Donald Trump was waiting for a phone call from PM Modi. 

When PM Modi didn't call him, the US struck deals with other countries and increased tariffs on India. The Ministry of External Affairs has responded to this statement. The government stated that the US Commerce Secretary's statements are baseless.

PM Modi and Trump have spoken 8 times.

In its official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that it has noted these comments and that it is important to clarify that India and the United States have been seriously negotiating a bilateral trade agreement since February 13, 2025. 

During this period, several rounds of talks took place between the two sides, and on several occasions, an agreement came very close to finalization. 

According to the ministry, the details of these discussions provided in public statements by the US side do not reflect the actual situation. The ministry also stated that PM Modi and Trump spoke eight times in 2025.

The Ministry of External Affairs also clarified that the claims regarding a conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US President Donald Trump are misleading. 

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, during 2025, PM Modi and President Trump had a total of eight phone conversations, discussing various aspects of the India-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Therefore, claiming that the trade deal could not be reached because the Prime Minister did not call is completely baseless.

Tariff
Donald Trump
Narendra Modi
United States of America