India, Sept. 16 -- US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick has warned that India risks losing access to the American market if it refuses to purchase the US-grown corn, even as trade negotiations between the two countries are set to resume.

New Delhi could face a "tough time" if it does not reduce tariffs, despite President Donald Trump signalling a softer approach towards India, Lutnick said in an interview with Axios.

He described the trade relationship as one-sided. "They sell to us and take advantage of us. They block us from their economy, and they sell to us while we are wide open for them to come in (and) take advantage," Lutnick said.

"India brags that they have 1.4 billion people. Why won't 1.4 billion people buy one bushel of US...