US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signalled a fresh flashpoint with India questioning why New Delhi is “allowed” to send large volumes of rice to the United States without facing additional duties, indicating that new tariffs could be on the table as trade talks struggle to advance. The remarks came during a White House meeting where Trump launched a $12-billion support package for American farmers, a core constituency that has been pressing him to counter rising imports. In an exchange with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trump asked, “Why is India allowed to do that (‘dumping rice into the US’)? They have to pay tariffs. Do they have an exemption on rice?” When Bessent replied, “No, sir. We’re still working on their trade deal…”, Trump was firm. “They should not be

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