Trump calls India 'abuser' on tariffs, Modi a 'fantastic man'
What's the story
Former United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized India as a "very big abuser" regarding import tariffs, while campaigning in Michigan. He, however, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a "fantastic man." Trump added, "He happens to be coming to meet me next week," without providing additional details about their upcoming meeting. The meeting is expected to take place during Modi's visit to the United States between September 21 and 23, though no official agenda has been disclosed.
Statement
Indians are 'sharpest' people: Trump
Saying that India is very tough, Trump added, "These people are the sharpest people." "They're not a little bit backwards...You know the expression, they're at the top of their game, and they use it against us. But India is very tough. Brazil is very tough... China is the toughest of all, but we were taking care of China with the tariffs," he said.
Reciprocal trade
Trump's trade policy if elected president
Trump further said that if he wins the elections, the US would implement a reciprocal trade policy. He explained, "If anybody charges us 10 cents, if they charge us $2, if they charge us a hundred per cent, 250, we charge them the same thing." This is Trump's first campaign event after the second assassination attempt on him in Florida.
US trip
PM Modi to attend Quad Summit
Notably, next week, PM Modi is set to attend the Quad Summit and address the 'Summit of the Future' at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. This will mark the fourth Quad Leaders' Summit, hosted by US President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware. Modi will also meet with the Indian community in New York on Sunday. The summit will gather leaders, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, alongside PM Modi.
Quad nations
Biden-Harris administration has prioritized the Quad alliance
The Biden-Harris administration has prioritized the Quad alliance, continuing the momentum from the first summit at the White House in 2021 and subsequent annual meetings. This summit will focus on strengthening strategic alignment among the Quad nations and promoting a "shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region." Key discussion areas include health security, disaster response, maritime security, infrastructure development, emerging technologies, climate action, clean energy, and cybersecurity.