US Commerce Secretary: "India will apologize and seek trade deal with Trump within two months"

US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. UPI=Yonhap News. 

US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick predicted on the 5th (local time) that India is highly likely to resume trade negotiations with the US within two months, amidst the ongoing "tariff conflict."

According to the US political news outlet The Hill, Secretary Lutnick said in an interview with Bloomberg that day, "Within a month or two, India will come to the table, apologize, and seek a deal with President Donald Trump."

He added, "How to deal with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a matter for President Trump's desk," noting, "We leave that to him. That is why he is the President."

The US has been imposing "retaliatory 50% tariffs" on Indian products since the 27th of last month.

President Trump had requested that India cease purchases of Russian crude oil as a measure to pressure Russia into ending the war in Ukraine, but India refused.

Instead, India is seeking a breakthrough by strengthening cooperation with Russia and China.

Prime Minister Modi attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting held in Tianjin, China, on the 1st, where he showcased his close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Despite the punitive US tariffs, India maintains its stance on continuing to purchase Russian crude oil, and it has also agreed with China to resume border trade and direct flights for the first time in five years.

President Trump expressed his displeasure with the growing closeness between India, Russia, and China on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating, "It seems we have lost India and Russia to the deepest, darkest China."

Yonhap News