India is not fair, says Trump on Harley-Davidson motorcycles import duty issue

Modi informed him that India has reduced tariffs on imported motorcycles, but the U.S. was “getting nothing,” he tells Governors of all States at White House.

United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday once again raked up the issue of high import duty on Harley-Davidson motorcycles by India, saying the U.S. was “getting nothing” with New Delhi’s recent announcement that it had slashed customs duty on imported motorcycles from high-end brands to 50%.

The U.S. wanted fair and reciprocal trade deals. “When they [Harley Davidson] send a motorcycle to India, as an example, they have to pay 100% — 100%,” Mr. Trump said in his remarks to a gathering of Governors of all the States at the White House.

Refers to Modi as “fantastic man”
Referring to his recent conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the “fantastic man” informed him that India has reduced tariffs on imported motorcycles, but the U.S. was “getting nothing”.

“Now, the Prime Minister, who I think is a fantastic man, called me the other day and said we are lowering it to 50%. I said okay, but so far we’re getting nothing. So we get nothing. He gets 50 [per cent], and they think we’re doing — like they’re doing us a favour. That’s not a favour,” he said.

'He’s a beautiful man'
“I wasn’t sure — he said it so beautifully. He’s a beautiful man. And he said, ‘I just want to inform you that we have reduced it to 75, but we have further reduced it to 50’ And I said, huh. What do I say? Am I supposed to be thrilled? And that’s not good for you people, especially as Governors. It’s just not right. And we have many deals like that,” Mr. Trump said.

The U.S. got “zero” when it bought an Indian motorcycle. “So when they have a motorbike — a big number, by the way — they have a company that does a lot of business. They have a motorcycle or a motorbike that comes into our country — the number is zero. We get zero. They get 100%, brought down to 75; brought down, now, to 50. Okay,” Mr. Trump said.

'A great company'
“It’s a great company. When I spoke with your chairman or the president of Harley, they weren’t even asking for it because they’ve been ripped off with trade so long that they were surprised that I brought it up. I’m the one that’s pushing it more than they are, but it’s unfair. And India sells us a lot of motorbikes,” Mr. Trump said.

This is for the second time in a month that Mr. Trump raised the issue of high import duty on motorcycles by India.

Earlier, he had called it “unfair” and threatened to increase the tariff on import of Indian motorcycles to the U.S.