Does India want to capitulate? Trump says India has proposed to cancel all tariffs on American goods.

US President Donald Trump said that India is currently negotiating to avoid higher import tariffs and has proposed to eliminate tariffs on American goods. He mentioned at an event with business leaders in Qatar on Thursday that the Indian government "has proposed a deal to us that basically wants to completely waive our tariffs". Trump did not disclose further details of this proposal, and the Indian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. After Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the White House in February, India became one of the first countries to start trade negotiations with the US. Both sides agreed to finalize the first phase of a bilateral agreement by the fall. The Indian Minister of Commerce is expected to visit the US from May 17 to 20 for further negotiations with the Trump administration officials. At the time of Trump's remarks, India was increasingly unhappy with the US president claiming credit for brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after a four-day conflict and insisting that he used trade as leverage to secure the ceasefire agreement. Indian officials had previously denied that trade issues were part of the discussions with US officials during the military conflict with Pakistan. Trump also revealed on Thursday that he had a phone call with Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook, urging him not to expand production in India. "I told him I don't want you to build a factory in India," Trump said of his conversation with Cook, adding that he told Cook "India is doing very well on their own". Trump stated that after the discussion, Apple Inc. will "increase production in the US". Just a few days before Trump made these statements, India threatened retaliatory measures against the US over tariffs on steel and aluminum, indicating that India may take a more aggressive stance in the trade negotiations with the White House. However, sources indicate that the trade negotiations are still ongoing.