The tariffs imposed by the United States on Indian goods are largely a result of President Donald Trump’s “personal pique” at not being allowed to mediate in the India-Pakistan conflict, according to a report by American multinational investment bank and financial services company Jefferies has claimed.
“Tariffs (on India) are primarily the consequence of the American president’s ‘personal pique’ that he was not allowed to play a role in seeking to end the long-running acrimony between India and Pakistan,” the report said.
“India has never accepted third party intervention in its relations with Pakistan and this remains a “red line” despite the economic costs of depriving the 47th American president of one of his opportunities to win the Nobel Peace Prize,” it added.
Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim over a dozen times that he “helped settle” the tensions between India and Pakistan.
Trump had also claimed that he told the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours that America would do a “lot of trade” with them if they stopped the conflict.
However, the Indian government has rejected Trump’s claim of mediation between India and Pakistan to stop military actions from both sides.
India has maintained that the halt in military action on May 10 was a result of direct contact between the DGMOs of both nations. The contact was initiated by the Pakistani side, New Delhi has maintained.
