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.
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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 more than 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"This is unacceptable and the Tariffs must be withdrawn!"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 defence system, which could trigger US sanctions, and India is also at odds with Washington over the new sanctions on Iran, a major supplier for its oil requirements.
Trade between the US and India stood at about $142.1 billion in 2018.
Trump meets Modi on Friday morning local time in Osaka.
Australian Associated Press
