‘India needs to reduce import tariffs to have closer economic ties with US’ December 16, 2020 US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer - REUTERS× India has to reduce its import tariffs to have a closer economic relationship with the US, US Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer has said. “The US can’t have a relationship where one country has tariffs five or six times higher than theirs... It is a political decision and a business decision. I am not saying that there should be no tariffs on anything. We have our own politics and security issues. But that is a single (largest) issue you have. You have very high tariffs. In fact, more than other developing countries,” Lighthizer said at a ‘Fireside Chat’ at the CII Partnership Summit on Wednesday.