Moneycontrol Pro Weekender | Trump’s Trade Rhetoric Fuels Market Hopes Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty
What should we make of Donald Trump’s recent claims—such as India allegedly offering zero tariffs on US imports to fast-track a trade agreement, or his assertion that he brokered peace between India and Pakistan by threatening to sever trade ties with both? India has dismissed these statements, raising the question: Is Trump simply boasting, or is there a calculated strategy behind his provocations? Trump’s flip-flopping on tariffs with China paints a picture of a self-styled master negotiator, but the deep-rooted US-China rivalry is far from resolution. This week, Beijing protested the US-UK trade pact, claiming its clauses—particularly those scrutinizing supply chains and ownership structures under national security pretenses—are designed to sideline China. China referred to these clauses as a “poison pill.” Meanwhile, the US further tightened curbs on Huawei chips, extending its crackdown globally. These developments reflect a broader US strategy: using economic leverage—espe...