Veteran American investor Jim Rogers said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump “doesn’t understand what’s happening in Asia and India,” after Washington imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods, with another 25% expected from August 27.
In an interview with IANS, Rogers, one of the world’s most prominent financial commentators, criticised the US decision, saying India continues to be the world’s fastest-growing economy and should be viewed as a strong trade partner rather than being targeted with punitive tariffs.
“Trump wakes up, watches TV and then decides what to do. He doesn’t understand much of the world, and he certainly doesn’t understand what’s happening in Asia and India,” Rogers said.
He argued that both nations have the potential to raise their trade volume to $500 billion by 2030 — a goal previously envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump — if Washington chooses to engage with New Delhi constructively.
“For the first time in my life, I see that people in New Delhi seem to understand economics. They understand that prosperity is good, and success is good too. It is a very exciting and wonderful change for India,” he said.
Calling India an “extremely exciting country” and “extremely exciting economy,” Rogers said it is poised to become one of the most attractive destinations for global investment, even rivalling China in the coming years.
On the matter of free trade agreements (FTAs), Rogers stressed that “more free trade is better for the world, especially India.” He noted that open trade policies would be a win for both Indian and global investors.
— IANS