US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has launched a sharp attack on India, accusing New Delhi of blocking American goods while benefiting from the open US market. Speaking in an interview on Saturday, Lutnick said, “The relationship is one way, they sell to us and take advantage of us. They block us from their economy, and they sell to us while we are wide open for them to come in (and) take advantage.”
Targeting India’s agricultural tariffs, he added, “India brags that they have 1.4 billion people. Why won’t 1.4 billion people buy one bushel of US corn? Doesn’t that rub you the wrong way that they sell everything to us and they won’t buy our corn. They put tariffs on everything.”
According to news agency Reuters, Lutnick insisted that India must reduce tariffs or face difficulties doing business with the US. “That’s the president’s model, and you either accept it or you’re going to have a tough time doing business with the world’s greatest consumer,” he said, citing President Donald Trump’s call for “fair and reciprocal trade.”
VIDEO | India brags about having 1.4 billion people but won’t buy even a small amount of American corn, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said, asserting that New Delhi must bring down its tariffs or face a “tough time” doing business with the US.
Lutnick made the comments… pic.twitter.com/vE7xg9v3KS
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 14, 2025
The Trump administration has imposed some of the steepest tariffs globally, including a 50 per cent levy on Indian exports and a 25 per cent penalty linked to Delhi’s purchases of Russian crude oil. India has repeatedly described these measures as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” maintaining that its energy imports are guided by national interest and market requirements.
“India Will Return to the Table”: Lutnick
In remarks to Bloomberg TV, Lutnick previously predicted that New Delhi would eventually engage with Washington. “So I think, yes, in a month or two months, I think India is going to be at the table and they’re going to say they’re sorry and they’re going to try to make a deal with Donald Trump,” he said.
He further cautioned that if India failed to support the US, it would continue facing punitive tariffs. “If India does not support the United States, they will have to pay 50 per cent tariffs on its exports to the US,” he warned.
On trade issues, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated that India “continues to remain engaged with the US side on trade issues” and has emphasised that its relationships with other countries stand independently, without being viewed through the lens of a third nation.
