India vowed on Thursday to protect its labour-intensive agriculture sector, a central sticking point in bogged-down trade talks with the U.S., as Washington threatened 25% tariffs, triggering outrage from the opposition and a slump in the rupee.

The president said Wednesday that imports from India would be subject to a 25 percent tariff as of Friday, as trade talks between the countries hit a stumbling block.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and President Trump took swings at India as a tariff deadline nears for the country. “India came to the table early. They’ve been slow rolling things,” Bessent said Thursday during an appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.