US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has sharpened his attack on India and other trade partners, stressing that the countries should keep their markets open and refrain from actions that harm American interests.
In an interview with NewsNation, Lutnick said that there is a need to "fix" some US trade partners, including India, who should "react correctly" to American interests.
“We have a bunch of countries to fix — like Switzerland, Brazil, like India. These are countries that need to really react correctly to America,” Lutnick said, adding that these countries "need to open their markets and stop taking actions that harm America."
Lutnick's comments are the latest in a series of problematic remarks he has made against India after US President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods, doubling them to 50 per cent, including an additional 25 per cent duty tied to New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian crude oil.
India has called these measures “unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable.” It also defended its Russian oil imports as a matter of national interest and market strategy, despite US concerns.
Describing India's resistance to Trump's tariffs as "all bravado," Lutnick earlier claimed that New Delhi will be forced to return to the negotiation table, "say sorry" and try to make a deal with US, due to pressure from domestic businesses.
"...in a month or two, India will be at the table. They’re going to say they’re sorry and try to make a deal with Donald Trump,” Lutnick said in an interview with Bloomberg.
"So I think what happens is it's all bravado, because you think it feels good to fight with the biggest client in the world, but eventually your businesses are going to say you've got to stop this and go make a deal with America," he said.
Lutnick also criticised India's continued purchase of Russian crude oil, slamming the move as "plain wrong" and "ridiculous" while urging New Delhi to pick a side.
Lutnick warned that India must choose between supporting the US and aligning with Russia and China. “They're the vowel between Russia and China (in BRICS). If that's who you want to be, go be it."
Lutnick further said, “Either support the dollar, support the United States of America, support your biggest client, who is the American consumer, or I guess you're going to pay a 50% tariff. And let's see how long this lasts.”
He added that countries such as India and China ultimately depend on the American market. “We are the consumer of the world. People have to remember, it's our $30 trillion economy that is the consumer of the world. So eventually they all have to come back to the customer, because we all know eventually the customer is always right,” he added.
Lutnick also stressed that trade negotiations with India will continue smoothly only if it stops buying oil from Russia.
Speaking to CNBC, Lutnick said India remained a key focus in trade talks but added, “Well, we're going to sort out India… once they stop buying Russian oil.”