US President Donald Trump claimed on Thursday that India had offered the US a nearly tariff-free deal on a reciprocal basis. Speaking at a news conference in Doha, he stated, “They have offered us a deal where, basically, they’re willing to literally charge us no tariff.”
He also discussed his conversation with Apple CEO Tim Cook, encouraging him to increase production in the US rather than expanding manufacturing in India. “I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday. I said to him, ‘My friend, I’m treating you very well. You’re coming up with $500 billion, but now I hear you’re building all over India. I don’t want you building in India. You can build in India, but if you want to take care of India, because India is one of the highest tariff nations in the world, so it’s very hard to sell in India,’” Trump said.
Earlier reports indicated that Apple is planning to shift all production of iPhones for the US market to India. This move aligns with Apple’s broader strategy to diversify its manufacturing operations away from China.
Meanwhile, India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is scheduled to visit the US on May 16 to initiate advanced trade talks that have been ongoing at the official level. This visit follows US Vice President JD Vance’s trip to New Delhi in April, which aimed to secure a bilateral trade deal with India.
On May 12, President Trump also claimed that his administration played a role in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, adding that the US wanted to increase trade with both countries. “I’m very proud to let you know that the leadership of India and Pakistan was unwavering and powerful… And we helped a lot, and we also helped with trade. I said, ‘Come on, we’re going to do a lot of trade with you guys. Let’s stop it. Let’s stop it. If you stop it, we’re doing trade. If you don’t stop it, we’re not going to do any trade,’” Trump stated, emphasizing his administration’s use of trade leverage to promote peace.
However, India has denied that trade was part of the discussions with the US regarding the ceasefire. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified, “From the time Operation Sindoor commenced on May 7 until the understanding on cessation of firing and military action on May 10, there were conversations between Indian and US leaders on the evolving military situation. The issue of trade did not come up in any of these discussions.”
