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Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Thursday suggested that the government "keep its cool" and go ahead with negotiations amid chaos over the US imposing 25 per cent tariffs on India.
He said that Trump remains an unconventional politician, who is unorthodox, with whom normal diplomatic protocols don't work. "Trump is not a conventional politician. Normal protocols of diplomacy and normal rules of intergovernmental relationships don't work. He is very unorthodox. We should just let him be as it is... We should not panic immediately. These are all opening positions in a negotiation. I hope the government maintains its cool, continues to negotiate and comes to an understanding with the US," Chidambaram told ANI. Meanwhile, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi further questioned PM Modi over a number of Trump's statements, such as his claims of mediating a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan, loss of Indian jets and the recent announcement of 25 per cent tariffs. "The main question is, Trump has claimed 30-32 times that he did a ceasefire. He also said that 5 Indian jets have fallen. Trump now says that he will impose 25% tariffs. Why is PM Modi not able to give an answer? What is the actual reason? Who has the control in his hands?" he said. Trump earlier said that Washington is continuing trade negotiations with India. In response to ANI, if the US remains open to negotiating with India on the tariff front, Trump stated, "We're talking to them now. We'll see what happens. Again, India was the highest or just about the highest tariff nation in the world, one of the highest, 100 points, 150 points or percentages. So India was one of the highest in the world. They had 175 per cent and higher than that." After announcing a 25 per cent tariff and penalties for purchasing Russian oil, he emphasised that India is one of the countries imposing high tariffs on the US. He made the comments during a press conference at the White House, held to mark the signing of a Congressional bill. Earlier today, Trump made a shocking statement on his social media platform Truth Social after the announcement of 25 per cent tariffs against India and threatened an additional "penalty" for importing Russian oil. "I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India; their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world." Trump said. (ANI)
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