WASHINGTON: India kills the US with tariffs and the country has now offered “no tariffs” to America, President Donald Trump has said, amid New Delhi's escalating tensions with Washington over his administration's policies on trade and tariff.

“They have tariffs against us. China, which kills us with tariffs. India kills us with tariffs. Brazil kills us” with tariffs, Trump said in an interview with The Scott Jennings Radio Show on Tuesday.

Trump added that he understands tariffs better than other countries.

“I understood tariffs better than any human being in the world. And now with my tariffs, they were all dropping them. India was the most highly tariffed nation... And you know what, they've offered me no tariffs in India anymore. No tariffs," Trump said.

"If I didn't have tariffs, they would never make that offer. They would never make that offer. So you have to have tariffs. We're going to be economically strong,” he added.

With a federal appeals court ruling that most of Trump's tariffs imposed on countries around the world are illegal, Trump said that the court case is sponsored by other nations because they're taking advantage of us.

"...they're not going to take advantage anymore," he added.

Trump has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, among the highest in the world, including 25 per cent for its purchases of Russian oil.

India has called the tariffs imposed by the US “unjustified and unreasonable”.

New Delhi said that, like any major economy, it will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security.