[Source / Observer Network Qi Qian] Recently, India's attitude towards the United States has been reported to have suddenly changed, from actively negotiating to proposing additional tariffs on the U.S.

On May 14, Bloomberg reported that it is unclear why India's attitude has suddenly changed, but this news broke out just a few hours after the recent positive results of the Sino-U.S. economic and trade talks, which has raised various speculations. Multiple experts analyzed that China "set an example", meaning that constant compromise cannot bring rewards. India realized that it must "show courage" in front of the United States.

Since the beginning of Trump's second term, the Indian government has actively engaged with the U.S. on trade issues.

In February, Indian Prime Minister Modi visited the U.S., becoming the fourth foreign leader to be received by President Trump since he took office. After Trump announced the "reciprocal tariff" on April 2nd, India also became one of the first countries to negotiate trade with the U.S. During this period, Modi made every effort to appease the White House, making concessions on issues ranging from trade to immigration.

In February, Trump met visiting Modi at the White House. Modi X account.

However, according to media reports on the 13th, India had previously sent a letter to the WTO, accusing the U.S. of imposing a 25% steel and aluminum tariff as a trade safeguard measure, affecting India's $7.6 billion exports, and expecting a tariff of $1.91 billion. In response, India plans to increase tariffs on some American goods.

Meanwhile, informed Indian officials told Bloomberg that the trade negotiations with the U.S. were progressing smoothly, and both sides hoped to reach a temporary agreement before July 7th (the effective date of Trump's reciprocal tariff).

However, Bloomberg pointed out that the latest news indicates a shift in India's stance on trade issues, possibly taking its first retaliatory measure since Trump returned to the White House. This suggests that after China resisted the U.S. and achieved results, India is adopting a tougher stance in negotiations.

The report noted that it is unclear why India chose this moment to retaliate. It is believed that this may be a negotiation strategy by the Indian government, as Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will visit the U.S. for trade negotiations from the 17th to the 20th. According to Indian officials, New Delhi plans to include the retaliatory tariffs on American goods as part of the U.S.-India negotiations.

More importantly, the aforementioned information was disclosed just a few hours before the U.S. significantly reduced Chinese product tariffs.

Biswajit Dal, a professor at the Development Council of Social Sciences in India, said that so far, the U.S. has been "issuing orders to India." The proposed retaliatory tariffs are the first signs that India is willing to "stand up and take strong measures." Dal said that China prompted the U.S. to reach an agreement, indicating that India "must more firmly defend its own interests and show its own courage."

The report mentioned that Trump previously announced a 25% tariff on all imported steel and aluminum, effective from March. According to a notification disclosed by the WTO, in April, India sought consultations with Washington, referring to the tariff increase as a "safeguard measure" or trade restriction. However, the U.S. rejected this request, stating that the tariff was based on "national security considerations" and did not meet the requirements of a safeguard measure.

Priyanka Kishore, founder of Singapore-based consulting firm Asia Decoded Pte, said that domestically, India is increasingly feeling that the government has "made too many concessions in trade negotiations with the U.S." She stated that India "might use this opportunity to reassert its position as an equal trade partner."

It was reported that as the Indian delegation was about to visit the U.S., Trump repeatedly claimed that he facilitated the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which could cast a shadow over the U.S.-India negotiations. On the 13th, Trump again stated that he "largely used trade" to resolve conflicts between India and Pakistan, despite India stating just a few hours earlier that trade never appeared in these negotiations.

In response, Dal said that Trump has "crossed the line," and "when you're at a disadvantage, you can't deal with Americans."

From May 10th to 11th, high-level economic and trade talks between China and the U.S. were held in Geneva. Both sides agreed to reduce tariffs within 90 days, lowering the rate by 115%. This news quickly attracted high attention from the international community and markets, with widespread belief that this was an important step taken by the world's two largest economies in resolving trade disputes.

"Don't be intimidated by Trump's bluster. China set an example for the entire world," wrote The Atlantic on the 12th, noting that Trump wielded the tariff stick globally while issuing stern warnings: "Do not retaliate, or there will be consequences." However, China ignored this warning and ultimately reaped rewards. On the 12th, China and the U.S. agreed to reduce tariffs within 90 days after their high-level economic and trade talks, lowering the rate by 115%.

"Trump basically suspended the trade war, only receiving the promise of continued negotiations from China," the author wrote in the article, "Everyone threatened by Trump—whether nations, businesses, or universities—can learn a lesson from China."

In the conclusion, the author appealed to the world: "Standing up to Trump doesn't mean winning, but submission guarantees losing."

This article is an exclusive piece by the Observer Network and cannot be reproduced without permission.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7504269777418945087/

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