Former Diplomat Explains Reasons for US Tariffs on India

• Former diplomat Vikas Swarup has offered reasons for the US tariffs on India.
• He claims President Trump is frustrated that India has not acknowledged his role in a peace deal with Pakistan.
• Swarup also said Trump views India’s membership in BRICS as a reason for the punitive action.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 14th Aug: Former diplomat Vikas Swarup has given a sharp analysis of the reasons behind the punitive tariffs imposed on India by the US, attributing the move to President Donald Trump’s frustrations over two key issues. In an interview, Swarup, a former High Commissioner to Canada, stated that Trump is “miffed with India” for its refusal to acknowledge his claimed role in brokering a peace deal with Pakistan.

According to Swarup, Trump has repeatedly stated that he was responsible for getting India and Pakistan to cease hostilities after “Operation Sindoor” in May. However, New Delhi has consistently maintained that the ceasefire was a result of direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both nations, without any external mediation. This position is in contrast to Pakistan, which has not only acknowledged Trump’s role but has reportedly even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Swarup also cited India’s membership in the BRICS bloc as another reason for the tariffs. He explained that Trump views BRICS as an “anti-American alliance” that is “hell-bent on creating an alternative currency to the dollar,” and therefore believes India should not be a member.

Furthermore, Swarup described the tariffs as “pressure tactics” by the Trump administration to get India to agree to “maximalist demands” in ongoing trade talks, particularly concerning access to India’s agriculture, dairy, and genetically modified (GM) crops sectors. Despite these challenges, Swarup maintained that US-India ties remain strategic, while the US relationship with Pakistan is a “short-term, tactical arrangement.”