Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday that Israel and India are both holding discussions with the United States over tariff-related disputes, expressing optimism that the negotiations will eventually lead to an agreement.
Speaking to news agency ANI during his visit to New Delhi, Smotrich stressed that differences were natural in long-standing alliances and would not weaken broader ties.
“India and America go back many years. Israel and India go back many years… Each of the bilateral relations goes back many years and it’s perfectly okay that there are differences within this relationship. There is a great appreciation between each of the three leaders, Prime Minister Modi, President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu,” he said.
Smotrich noted that the talks with Washington were ongoing, adding, “Both of our countries, Israel and India, are negotiating with the United States administration over tariffs nowadays. I’m sure, however long it takes, we’ll reach an agreement on this.”
Reinforcing the strength of the partnerships, he highlighted shared values and interests, saying, “We have common values, common friends, common enemies, and common economic interests.”
Trump Warns Of ‘Phase-2’ Tariffs
The Israeli minister’s comments come amid escalating trade frictions between Washington and New Delhi. The United States recently imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian imports, including an additional 25 percent levy linked to India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil.
US President Donald Trump has warned that tougher measures could follow, referring to the possibility of “Phase-2” and “Phase-3” tariffs targeting countries that maintain energy trade with Moscow. He argued that such sanctions were not just aimed at India but were part of broader efforts to weaken Russia’s oil revenue streams.
“Would you say that putting secondary sanctions on India, the largest purchaser outside China, they are almost equal. Would you say there was no action? That cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia, you call that no action? I haven’t done Phase-2 yet or Phase-3,” Trump said during a press briefing with Poland’s President at the White House.
Trump also reiterated that India’s reliance on Russian oil could bring “big problems” if continued. “Two weeks ago, I said if India buys, India has got big problems, and that’s what happens,” he added.
Trump On India’s Trade Policies
The US President has also taken a tough stance on New Delhi’s tariff regime, which he described as one of the most restrictive in the world. In a separate interview on The Scott Jennings Radio Show, Trump said, “India was the most highly tariffed nation in the world, and you know what, they’ve offered me no tariffs in India anymore. If I didn’t have tariffs, they would never make that offer.”
He argued that his tariff strategy had forced India to reconsider its trade policies, insisting that the US had long been at a disadvantage. “China kills us with tariffs, India kills us with tariffs, Brazil kills us with tariffs. I’ve understood tariffs better than any human beings in the world,” he said.
Calling the trade relationship a “one-sided disaster,” Trump alleged that India had gained disproportionately from decades of imbalanced commerce. “They have now offered to cut their tariffs to nothing, but it’s getting late. Until now, it was a totally one-sided relationship for many decades,” he noted.
As tariff pressures mount, both Israel and India are now navigating sensitive negotiations with Washington, aiming to prevent further economic fallout while protecting their own strategic ties with the US.
