50% Tarrifs On India Are Driven By Trumps Personal Pique: Jefferies Report

A new report by global investment bank Jefferies claims that the steep 50% tariffs imposed by the United States on Indian exports stem not just from trade disputes but from President Donald Trump’s “personal pique” after being denied a role in mediating the India-Pakistan conflict.

According to the report, Trump had hoped to step in as a mediator following the brief but intense four-day military clash between India and Pakistan in May. However, New Delhi has consistently rejected any third-party involvement in its disputes with Islamabad, calling it a “red line.”

“Tariffs on India are primarily the result of the American president’s frustration at not being allowed to intervene in the decades-old hostility between the two neighbours,” Jefferies noted, adding that Trump viewed it as a lost chance to strengthen his global image, perhaps even eyeing a Nobel Peace Prize.