Will India join hands with China in tariff war against US after Beijing urges it to work together?

Will India join hands with China in a tariff war against the US?

Can the two arch-rivals come to a common platform to protect their respective economies and take on the US, which has declared a trade war against Beijing and imposed reciprocal tariffs against New Delhi?

Will India be able to prevent trade diversion and the harmful impact of the decisions taken by US President Donald Trump?

India-China Tango?

These questions cropped up after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Friday India to work together with China and "take the lead in opposing hegemonism and power politics".

After attending the Chinese Parliament, the National People's Congress, Yi said that "making the dragon and elephant dance is the only right choice". 

Talking to journalists, he said, "Supporting, instead of wearing each other down, and strengthening cooperation, instead of guarding (against) each other, is in our fundamental interests."

Will India Join Hands With China?

Though India has not officially reacted to the offer yet, a day earlier on Thursday Foreign Minister S Jaishanker 
said that New Delhi is working with China to plot "a more predictable and positive course" for the relationship.

The Chinese offered closer economic relationships with India days after US President Donald Trump imposed 20% tariffs on Chinese exports and reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods. 

China Retaliates 

Reacting to the US decision, the Chinese Embassy in the US declared, "If war is what the US wants... be it tariff, trade, or any other type, we're ready to fight till the end."

China also retaliated by imposing tariffs up to 15% on a range of US farm products, including soybeans, pork, and wheat.

On the other hand, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goel arrived in Washington to hold talks with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The two countries will most likely work on a Bilateral Trade Agreement.

Donald Trump also imposed 10% tariff on energy and 25% on all other products coming from Mexico and Canada. Retaliating the move, Canada slapped the US exports with 25% tariff. 

Experts believe, Donald Trump violated the trade agreement he had signed with the two neighbouring countries in 2018 during the first term of his presidency.