Sri Lankan MP Defends India Amid US Tariff Blow: ‘Don’t Laugh At…’

Sri Lankan lawmaker Harish Silva has called on fellow parliamentarians to show respect towards India as it faces rising trade tensions with the United States over tariff rates.

Speaking during a parliamentary debate on the impact of US tariffs, Silva urged lawmakers not to mock India’s situation. “Let’s not talk about the US tariffs here. Don’t laugh at India. Don’t mock them when they are down because when we were down, they were the only ones to lend us a hand,” he said.

Silva added that Sri Lanka, like India, had also expected Washington to reduce tariffs to 15 per cent. “We witnessed you guys laughing, don’t laugh,” he told his colleagues, stressing the importance of maintaining respect for India in difficult times.

Tensions between New Delhi and Washington have escalated after US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian imports to 50 per cent. Trump has also ruled out any trade negotiations until the tariff dispute is resolved. “No, not until we get it resolved,” he told reporters at the Oval Office last week.

Meanwhile, senior US Congressman Gregory Meeks criticised Trump’s move, warning that such a “tariff tantrum” could undo years of progress in strengthening US-India relations.

Over the past few months, India and the US have engaged in several rounds of talks for a bilateral trade deal, but key differences — particularly in agriculture and dairy — have prevented an agreement.

The next round of trade talks is scheduled for August 25 in New Delhi, just two days before an additional 25 per cent penalty on Indian imports is set to take effect. This penalty comes on top of the existing 25 per cent tariff and is linked to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.

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