New Delhi, July 31 (UNI) Day after announcing 25 percent tariff with ‘’penalty’’ against India for
buying military equipment and energy from Russia, US President Donald Trump today said a
trade deal with Pakistan had been concluded and both countries (India and Russia) could take
their ‘’dead economies’’ down together.

He said the US had just concluded a trade deal with Pakistan where Pakistan and US could work together on developing their massive oil reserves and may be they (Pakistan) will sell their oil to India.

‘’We have just concluded a deal with the country of Pakistan whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive oil reserves. We are in the process of choosing the oil company that will lead this partnership. Who knows may be they’ll be selling oil to India some day.’’

He said he does not care what India does with Russia. ‘’They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care,’’ he said in a series of tweets on his social media platform.

President Trump had yesterday announced on Truth Social that 25 per cent tariff would be imposed on India along with ‘’penalty’’ from August one for buying military equipment and energy from Russia.

‘’All things are not good! India will therefore be paying a tariff of 25 percent plus a penalty starting August one,’’ he said. Describing India as ‘’our friend,’’ he said US had done relatively little business with India because their (India’s) tariffs are too high.

Commenting on Trump’s tariffs an official spokesman here said the Government attaches utmost importance to protecting and promoting the welfare of our farmers, entrepreneurs and MSMEs and will take all necessary steps to secure our national interest.

‘’The Government will take all steps necessary to secure our national interest, as has been the case with other trade agreements including the latest Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the UK,’’ the spokesman said.

He said the Government had taken note of the statement by the US President on bilateral trade. The Government is studying its implications.

The spokesman said India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement over the last few months and India remains committed to that objective.

Trump said he is ‘’very busy’’ in the White House working on Trade Deals and he had spoken to the leaders of many countries all of whom wanted make the United States ‘’Extremely Happy.’’

In another tweet he said the US has a ‘’massive trade deficit with India.’’ The US had done very little business with India, their tariffs are too high among the highest in the world.

‘’Russia and the US do almost no business together. Let’s keep it that way,’’ he said.
UNI RB 1521