The recently published book 'Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump' reveals a meeting between President Donald Trump and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, where Trump expressed his discontent over India's tariffs.
According to the book, Trump claimed that India charged 175% tariffs, while China charged 150-200% tariffs. However, the office of the United States Trade Representative recorded lower duties for both countries.
The meeting, which took place in March 2025, was about the semiconductor manufacturing industry and how to bring the supply chain to the US. Trump was unhappy about Taiwan's dominance in the chip industry, producing around 70% of semiconductors and 90% of advanced chips.
Trump's spat with Lutnick over India's tariffs is also mentioned in the book, where the President accused his administration of giving him false data. The arguments took place in the run-up to Trump's 'Liberation Day' exercise, where he imposed 25% tariffs on India.
India and the US agreed to a framework for a bilateral trade agreement in February, which included reducing tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 25%. However, the US Supreme Court ruling struck down President Trump's sweeping tariffs, prompting the two countries to revisit key elements of the proposed framework.
