United States President Donald Trump on Monday said India wants to start trade negotiations with his administration immediately, AFP reported. The US president referred to India as the “tariff king” and said New Delhi had called the White House to initiate negotiations to “make me happy”, PTI reported.

He again alleged that India has a significantly high tariff rate on several US products. The US president was speaking to reporters at the White House after finalising the United States-Mexico-Canada trade pact, which will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement.

“We have a country, take India,” said Trump. “Good relationship. They want to make a deal now because they do not want me to do what I am going to do. So, they [Indians] call us. They did not want to make a deal with anybody else.”

In June, the Indian government announced higher duties on several goods imported from the United States in retaliation to Trump’s decision to impose hefty tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.

Two months later, the United States imposed a preliminary anti-dumping duty of 50.55% on metal pipes imported from India, China and four other countries in a move to protect the American steel industry and lower trade deficit.

In September, Trump said India wanted a trade agreement with the US despite his tough stance on tariffs.

The United States is currently engaged in a trade war with China, with both Washington and Beijing increasing tariffs on goods from the other country.