WASHINGTON, Feb 21: — U.S. President Donald Trump affirmed that the recently announced trade framework with India will proceed “on schedule” even after the Supreme Court invalidated his administration’s broader tariff agenda. The President dismissed concerns that the judicial ruling would weaken his negotiating position with New Delhi.
In a 6-3 verdict, the nation’s highest court ruled that the President overstepped his bounds by using emergency powers to levy global tariffs. Trump expressed that the decision was “deeply disappointing” and accused certain members of the bench of being influenced by political and foreign interests.
Despite the setback, Trump asserted that the specific arrangements made with India are secure. “The India deal is on… all the deals are on,” he stated, adding that the administration would simply achieve its goals through different legal avenues. He maintained that the agreement corrects a historical imbalance where he felt the U.S. was being “ripped off.”
The President noted that the trade deal involves a reduction of reciprocal tariffs on New Delhi from 25 percent to 18 percent. This followed an executive order removing punitive duties after India committed to purchasing American energy products instead of Russian oil.
Trump declared that the current ruling does not impact national security tariffs already in place under the Trade Expansion Act and the Trade Act of 1974. To compensate for the court’s decision, he announced a new 10 percent temporary import duty lasting 150 days.
During the briefing, the President also reaffirmed his belief that his tariff strategy helped resolve the India-Pakistan conflict. He cited the growth of the Dow Jones Industrial Average as proof of his economic success, vowing that the new levies would continue to protect American manufacturers and farmers.
