President Donald Trump’s higher-than-expected tariff rate on India is likely to push Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hasten trade talks with the US to minimize the blow to Asia’s third-largest economy.

US President Donald Trump announced a 26% tariff on Indian imports, stating that India imposed higher duties on American goods. During a joint press conference, Trump spoke of the uneven trade conditions and stressed the need for negotiations to establish a more balanced trading relationship.

Speaking about India, Trump highlighted that New Delhi was ‘very, very tough’, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a great friend of his.