US President Donald Trump on Wednesday repeated his charge against India over tariffs, pointing to Harley Davidson as an example of what he called unfair trade. He said New Delhi imposed ‘tremendous tariffs, about the highest in the world’ while the US allowed Indian goods into its market without similar barriers.”
He said New Delhi had imposed “tremendous tariffs, about the highest in the world” on US goods, while American markets were open to Indian products. “They would send in massive, you know, everything they made, they’d send it in, pour it into our country. Therefore it wouldn’t be made here, which is a negative. But we would not send in anything because they were charging us 100% tariffs,” he said, citing Harley Davidson as an example.
"Harley Davidson, Harley Davidson couldn't sell into India. There was a 200% tariff on a motorcycle. So what happens? Harley Davidson went to India and built a motorcycle plant and now they don't have to pay tariffs," he said.
Trump also said that he plans to seek an “expedited ruling” from the Supreme Court after a lower court deemed many of his tariffs illegal.
“We’re going to be going to the Supreme Court, we think tomorrow,” he said.
This came after a US federal appeals court on August 30 ruled that most tariffs imposed by Trump under emergency powers were illegal, challenging a key part of his trade policy. In a 7–4 decision, the court found that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorise the president to impose tariffs.
“The statute bestows significant authority on the President… but none of these actions explicitly include the power to impose tariffs, duties, or the like, or the power to tax,” the court said.
The ruling affects Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs and duties on China, Canada, and Mexico, but not others like steel and aluminium.
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Trump calls US-India trade 'one-sided disaster'; slams Russia oil, arms tradeTrump had called the ruling a “total disaster for the Country,” while the White House said, “The President’s tariffs remain in effect… we look forward to ultimate victory.”
The Trump administration has imposed reciprocal tariffs of 25% on Indian goods and an additional 25% levy on oil imports linked to Russia, pushing overall duties to 50%, among the highest in the world.
However, the two countries are actively discussing a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with commerce minister Piyush Goyal expressing hope for its conclusion by November.
Speaking at the Annual Global Investor Conference 2025 in Mumbai, he acknowledged that "a little bit of geopolitical" issues have delayed progress.
"We have had a little bit of geopolitical issues overtaking trade issues in our negotiations with the United States of America," Goyal noted. India has drawn "red lines" in talks, refusing to open its agriculture and dairy sectors and maintaining "strategic autonomy" in trade with Russia, the minister said.
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Read MoreThe TOI Business Desk is a vigilant and dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant business news from around the world to readers of The Times of India. The primary focus of the TOI Business Desk is to keep a watchful eye on the global business landscape, covering a wide spectrum of industries, markets, economic trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact businesses and economies. With a mission to provide valuable insights and updates, the desk ensures that TOI readers are well-informed about the ever-changing and dynamic world of commerce and can navigate the complexities of the business world.
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