US commerce chief urges India to lower tariff walls, look at ‘grand’ trade deal

India should bring down its high tariffs for the Unites States as Washington means to pursue “something grand” in a bilateral trade deal between the two countries, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told India Today television on Friday.

India’s tariffs, amongst the highest in the world, require a rethinking of its “special relationship” with the US, Lutnick said in an interview.His remarks come weeks ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned reciprocal tariffs from early April on trading partners, including India, which are worrying exporters across sectors ranging from autos to agriculture.

“We would like to focus on bilateral conversation just between India and the United States, bring down the tariff levels that India has, that protects some of its areas,” Lutnick said.For sensitive sectors like agriculture, which India has long protected in the interest of its small farmers, Lutnick said a deal can be crafted with certain quotas and limits, but India must open up the sector.