Bengaluru — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke by phone on Thursday, Modi’s office said, a day after the Brazilian leader said he would initiate a conversation among the Brics group on tackling US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
“The two leaders exchanged views on various regional and global issues of mutual interest,” Modi’s office said in a statement, without explicitly mentioning Trump or his tariffs.
The Brics group also includes China, Russia and SA.
India is already signalling it may seek to rebalance its global partnerships after Trump’s salvo of tariffs on Indian goods. Trump announced an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods on Wednesday, raising the total duty to 50% — among the highest imposed on any US trading partner.
The additional tariff, effective August 28, is meant to penalise India for continuing to buy Russian oil, Trump has said.
Modi is preparing for his first visit to China in more than seven years, suggesting a potential diplomatic realignment amid growing tensions with Washington.
Earlier on Thursday, Modi said he would not compromise the interests of the country’s farmers even if he has to pay a heavy price, in his first comments after Trump’s salvo of a 50% tariff on Indian goods.
“For us, our farmers’ welfare is supreme,” Modi said at an event in New Delhi. “India will never compromise on the wellbeing of its farmers, dairy [sector] and fishermen. And I know personally I will have to pay a heavy price for it,” he said.
While Modi did not explicitly mention the US or the collapsed trade talks, his comments marked a clear defence of India’s position. Trade talks between India and the US broke down after five rounds of negotiations over disagreement on opening India’s vast farm and dairy sectors and stopping Russian oil purchases.
India’s foreign ministry has called the US decision “extremely unfortunate” and said it would “take all necessary steps to protect its national interests”.
The US has yet to impose similar tariffs for China, the biggest buyer of Russian oil. Experts say China’s dominance in rare earth minerals gives it leverage that India lacks.
“The US tariff hike lacks logic,” Dammu Ravi, secretary of economic relations in India’s foreign ministry, told reporters.
“This is a temporary aberration, a temporary problem that the country will face, but in course of time, we are confident that the world will find solutions.”
Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.