G20 Summit: Ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump on Thursday said high tariffs imposed by India against the United States are "unacceptable" and that the country should withdraw the same. He also indicated that he will raise this issue with Modi during their ensuing meeting on the sidelines of G-20 Summit.


Trump took to Twitter and wrote, "I look forward to speaking with Prime Minister Modi about the fact that India, for years having put very high Tariffs against the United States, just recently increased the Tariffs even further. This is unacceptable and the Tariffs must be withdrawn!."

This comes a day after US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo held bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar and acknowledged that there were issues between the two countries on trade and committed themselves to remove differences between them.

India slapped higher tariffs on 28 US products following Washington’s withdrawal this month of key trade privileges for New Delhi, less than two weeks after US President Donald Trump announced an end to preferential trade treatment for India over the trade barriers.

Last year, India had announced tariffs in retaliation to higher US import duties on steel and aluminium. Trump has repeatedly called out India for its high tariffs.

Meanwhile, Modi reached Osaka early in the morning and will hold first meeting with Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Trump and Modi are expected to meet on June 28. This would be the first meeting between PM Modi and Donald Trump after PM Modi's re-election for a second term. Trump had called and congratulated PM Modi over the phone after his stunning victory.

(With inputs from agencies)