The BRICS TimesTrump reiterated that Harley Davidson motorcycles once faced a “200%” tariff in India, though the actual rate stood at 100% when he first mentioned it in 2018 before being reduced.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday once again cited Harley Davidson motorcycles while criticizing India’s tariff policies, calling the country’s duties among the steepest in the world.
From the Oval Office, Trump argued that while India benefitted from sending goods to the US market freely, American exports faced high barriers. “We weren’t doing much business with India, but they were doing plenty with us because we didn’t charge them. Everything they made came here, but we couldn’t send anything back because of their 100% tariff,” he said.
Using Harley Davidson as an example, Trump claimed the company struggled in India due to a “200% tariff.” However, when he first raised this issue in 2018, India’s duty on such motorcycles was 100%, not 200%, and has since been lowered. As reported earlier, import duties were gradually reduced to 40% on bikes up to 1,600 cc and 30% on those above 1,600 cc in recent budgets.
Although trade negotiations earlier this year suggested India might permit duty-free imports of a limited number of premium motorcycles, discussions have stalled. In the meantime, India is strengthening economic ties with China and Russia to counter tariff disputes.
Trump also pointed out that some nations, including Japan, were more open to trade agreements. He recounted a foreign leader admitting, “It’s amazing we got away with it for so long.”
When asked about India’s 50% tariff, Trump remarked, “We have a good relationship with India, but for years it was one-sided. Things only shifted after I came in, because of the strength we brought to the table. India’s tariffs were among the highest globally.”
