US President Donald Trump has once again claimed that India offered him a “no tariff” deal, even as he defended his decision to impose a 50 percent tariff on Indian imports. In a telephonic interview on The Scott Jennings Radio Show, Trump described India as the “most tariffed nation” in the world, insisting that his tariff strategy forced New Delhi to make concessions.

“China kills us with tariffs, India kills us with tariffs, Brazil kills us with tariffs. I've understood tariffs better than they did; I understood tariffs better than any human beings in the world,” Trump said confidently.

He emphasized that the tariffs were necessary to bring India to the negotiating table. “India was the most highly tariffed nation in the world, and you know what? They've offered me no tariffs in India anymore. No tariffs. If I didn't have tariffs, they would never make that offer,” Trump explained.

He maintained that having tariffs was a critical bargaining tool, arguing that without imposing them, India would not have agreed to reduce or eliminate their tariffs. This statement comes amid ongoing trade tensions between the two countries, with the US aiming to address what it sees as unfair trade practices. Trump’s approach reflects his broader trade policy philosophy, which focuses on using tariffs to pressure countries into making trade concessions that benefit the United States.