For Trump, tariffs are like toys— can India actually belief him?

The truth that India has not signed the bilateral commerce settlement with the USA by the Trump-imposed deadline of 9 July is being hailed each as excellent news and dangerous.

The excellent news is that India has apparently not agreed to every thing that Trump wished us to concede.

The dangerous information is that the longer the negotiations proceed, the higher the possibilities of the POTUS demanding greater than the authentic pound of flesh — if any such is owed in any respect.

India has been ‘fortunate’, we’re instructed, as Trump has not but despatched his usually impolite and condescending letter but, nor singled India out for particular point out. Who can inform, nonetheless, how lengthy this benevolence would possibly final?

Prime Minister Modi might have realised by now the dangers of breaking bread with the unstable and erratic US president. An excessive amount of time, nonetheless, has already been misplaced in hanging a ‘respectable’ take care of the US.

Conversely, too little time has been devoted by India, it will appear, to getting ready a Plan B, in growing various markets and shifting to interact with the harder companions of China, Russia and the World South. Piyush Goyal’s haughty dismissal of the ASEAN international locations because the ‘B’ staff of China at the same time as New Delhi — which is hopelessly depending on imports from China — indicators its reluctance to advertise commerce ties with our northern neighbour might extract a steep worth if Trump doesn’t relent.