Osaka, Japan - US President Donald Trump has demanded India
withdraw recently imposed tariffs on US goods, ahead of a meeting
with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to take place on the
sidelines of the G20 summit in Japan.
The demand comes a day after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited
India and, together with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam
Jaishankar, tried to play down the trade rift.
The US recently removed preferential trade privileges for India, and
New Delhi responded by imposing tariffs on some two dozen US
products.
"I look forward to speaking with Prime Minister Modi about the fact
that India, for years having put very high Tariffs against the United
States, just recently increased the Tariffs even further," Trump
tweeted just hours before he touched down in Osaka.
"This is unacceptable and the Tariffs must be withdrawn!"
While Trump has often said he has a good relationship with Modi and
despite a potential for convergence in order to counterbalance
China's influence, the relation between New Delhi and Washington has
been under strain.
New Delhi is looking to possibly buy the S-400, a Russian air defense
system, which could trigger US sanctions, and India is also at odds
with Washington over the new sanctions on Iran.
Trump meets Modi on Friday morning local time in Osaka.