New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on August 7 ruled out the prospect of trade negotiations with India until the ongoing tariff dispute is resolved. The State Department, however, insists the two countries remain locked in “full and frank dialogue” despite mounting strains.“No, not until we get it resolved,” Trump said in the Oval Office when asked if trade talks could move forward after his announcement of a 50% tariff on Indian goods.The US President had earlier imposed a 25% reciprocal tariff on Indian imports, effective August 7. This week, he also signed an executive order adding a further 25% levy in response to New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil. This raised the total tariff rate to 50 percent, among the highest the US has placed on any country. The additional duty will take effect on August 27.A couple of hours earlier at a State Department briefing, deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Trump’s actions reflected “very clear” concerns about the trade imbalance with India and its purchase of Russian oil. “India is a strategic partner with whom we engage in a full and frank dialogue. That’ll continue… You’re not going to align a hundred percent of the time on everything, but it is very clear – the President’s been clear the concerns that he has,” he said.Asked whether the dispute signalled worsening ties or risked pushing India closer to China, Pigott said, “What this is about is an honest, full, and frank dialogue about real concerns… Ultimately, this is about a frank and full dialogue, and that’s what it means to advance American interests… to really have full diplomatic dialogue with partners – to address concerns that we need to see addressed”.A US delegation is slated to arrive in India on August 25 for the next round of bilateral trade treaty negotiations, but it remains unclear whether the visit will proceed as planned.In response to the tariffs, the Ministry of External Affairs has said that the targeting of India is “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”. “India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests,” it said.On August 7, Modi said at a public event that he was prepared to “pay a big price” for his government’s refusal to compromise on farmers’ interests. The remarks were widely viewed as a veiled reference to the US tariffs, though he did not mention them or Trump by name.