US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that the United States and India will soon finalise a trade agreement, pointing to his strong personal relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;“I like your Prime Minister a lot. He is a good friend of mine, and we get along well. We have a good relationship,” Trump told reporters at the White House while speaking about trade ties between the two countries.&nbsp;He also reiterated his long-standing claim that India had benefited unfairly in trade relations with the United States over the years.&nbsp;"India, for years, took advantage of this country. They charged us tremendous tariffs. They paid nothing," he said.&nbsp;Trump cited Harley-Davidson as an example, alleging that high tariffs in India had earlier restricted the company’s access to the market.&nbsp;"They wouldn't let Harley-Davidson sell its motor. They would charge 200% tariff. So Harley-Davidson was precluded. They ended up going to India and building their own plants, which is unfortunate that that happened, but it happens. It was before me, but they charged tremendous amounts of tariffs to us, and we didn't charge them anything," Trump said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-house-approves-ukraine-aid-and-russia-sanctions-in-setback-for-trump-1780620171754">US House approves Ukraine aid and Russia sanctions in setback to Trump</a>&nbsp;He further added that India had long benefited from what he described as uneven trade practices, while also blaming previous US administrations for allowing the imbalance.&nbsp;“India, for years, has, and I don't blame them, I blame us because we had stupid people here. India, for years, really took advantage of the United States. You know that.”&nbsp;“Now it is the exact reverse, and we are making a lot of money with India,” Trump said.&nbsp;&nbsp;These remarks come as trade negotiations between India and the United States have moved closer to an interim agreement, with both sides concluding four days of discussions in New Delhi. The Commerce Ministry has described the talks as constructive and positive.&nbsp;A delegation from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), led by the chief negotiator, visited India from June 1 to June 4 to advance discussions on the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

Trump reiterated that India had long benefited unfairly from US trade by imposing high tariffs and paying nothing, while claiming the situation has now reversed, with Washington now making significant gains from trade with New Delhi.

US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that the United States and India will soon finalise a trade agreement, pointing to his strong personal relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I like your Prime Minister a lot. He is a good friend of mine, and we get along well. We have a good relationship,” Trump told reporters at the White House while speaking about trade ties between the two countries. He also reiterated his long-standing claim that India had benefited unfairly in trade relations with the United States over the years. "India, for years, took advantage of this country. They charged us tremendous tariffs. They paid nothing," he said. Trump cited Harley-Davidson as an example, alleging that high tariffs in India had earlier restricted the company’s access to the market. "They wouldn't let Harley-Davidson sell its motor. They would charge 200% tariff. So Harley-Davidson was precluded. They ended up going to India and building their own plants, which is unfortunate that that happened, but it happens. It was before me, but they charged tremendous amounts of tariffs to us, and we didn't charge them anything," Trump said. Also Read: US House approves Ukraine aid and Russia sanctions in setback to Trump He further added that India had long benefited from what he described as uneven trade practices, while also blaming previous US administrations for allowing the imbalance. “India, for years, has, and I don't blame them, I blame us because we had stupid people here. India, for years, really took advantage of the United States. You know that.” “Now it is the exact reverse, and we are making a lot of money with India,” Trump said. These remarks come as trade negotiations between India and the United States have moved closer to an interim agreement, with both sides concluding four days of discussions in New Delhi. The Commerce Ministry has described the talks as constructive and positive. A delegation from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), led by the chief negotiator, visited India from June 1 to June 4 to advance discussions on the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

Trump reiterated that India had long benefited unfairly from US trade by imposing high tariffs and paying nothing, while claiming the situation has now reversed, with Washington now making significant gains from trade with New Delhi.

PM Modi 'good friend of mine': Trump says India-US trade deal likely soon

Trade negotiations between India and the United States moved closer to an interim agreement after both sides wrapped up four days of discussions in New Delhi, with the Commerce Ministry describing the talks as constructive and positive.&nbsp;A delegation from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), led by the chief negotiator, visited India from June 1 to June 4 to advance discussions on the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).&nbsp;In a statement, the Commerce Ministry said the talks were held in a spirit of cooperation and pragmatism, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to deepening trade and economic ties through a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement.&nbsp;The discussions covered a range of issues, including trade in goods, customs and trade facilitation measures, non-tariff barriers, economic security cooperation and other areas of shared interest.&nbsp;The ongoing negotiations are based on a Joint Statement issued by India and the United States on February 7, 2026, under which the two countries agreed to pursue an interim trade arrangement while continuing work on a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-proposes-direct-meeting-with-putin-to-end-ukraine-war-kremlin-says-he-can-visit-moscow-anytime-1780603266292">Zelensky proposes direct meeting with Putin to end Ukraine war; Kremlin says he can visit Moscow anytime</a>&nbsp;The latest round of talks comes amid expectations that the first tranche of the deal could be concluded in the near future. Last week, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said negotiations had entered the final stage, with only around 1 per cent of the agreement yet to be resolved.&nbsp;The New Delhi discussions followed an earlier round of in-person negotiations held in Washington DC between April 20 and April 23.&nbsp;Meanwhile, another potential point of concern has emerged as the USTR proposes fresh tariffs on imports from India and several other major economies following investigations covering 60 jurisdictions. The proposed action under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974 is linked to concerns over products allegedly associated with forced labour.&nbsp;Under the proposal, economies that have implemented restrictions on such imports could face tariffs of 10 per cent, while those without similar safeguards may be subject to duties of up to 12.5 per cent. India, China, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Bangladesh and Vietnam are among the economies included in the review.

The talks are being held under the framework established in a Joint Statement released by India and the US on February 7, where both sides agreed to work towards an interim trade deal alongside a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement.

Trade negotiations between India and the United States moved closer to an interim agreement after both sides wrapped up four days of discussions in New Delhi, with the Commerce Ministry describing the talks as constructive and positive. A delegation from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), led by the chief negotiator, visited India from June 1 to June 4 to advance discussions on the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). In a statement, the Commerce Ministry said the talks were held in a spirit of cooperation and pragmatism, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to deepening trade and economic ties through a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement. The discussions covered a range of issues, including trade in goods, customs and trade facilitation measures, non-tariff barriers, economic security cooperation and other areas of shared interest. The ongoing negotiations are based on a Joint Statement issued by India and the United States on February 7, 2026, under which the two countries agreed to pursue an interim trade arrangement while continuing work on a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement. Also Read: Zelensky proposes direct meeting with Putin to end Ukraine war; Kremlin says he can visit Moscow anytime The latest round of talks comes amid expectations that the first tranche of the deal could be concluded in the near future. Last week, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said negotiations had entered the final stage, with only around 1 per cent of the agreement yet to be resolved. The New Delhi discussions followed an earlier round of in-person negotiations held in Washington DC between April 20 and April 23. Meanwhile, another potential point of concern has emerged as the USTR proposes fresh tariffs on imports from India and several other major economies following investigations covering 60 jurisdictions. The proposed action under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974 is linked to concerns over products allegedly associated with forced labour. Under the proposal, economies that have implemented restrictions on such imports could face tariffs of 10 per cent, while those without similar safeguards may be subject to duties of up to 12.5 per cent. India, China, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Bangladesh and Vietnam are among the economies included in the review.

The talks are being held under the framework established in a Joint Statement released by India and the US on February 7, where both sides agreed to work towards an interim trade deal alongside a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement.

India, US edge closer to interim trade agreement after four days of New Delhi talks

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Wednesday that a trade agreement between US and Iran is close. While responding to the questions in the House Foreign Affairs Committee about his recent India visit, Rubio said that Washington and New Delhi were only weeks away from concluding a highly anticipated comprehensive bilateral trade agreement. He repeatedly highlighted that India is an important strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific, signalling growing momentum in economic ties between the world's largest and oldest democracies.The prospective deal builds on the framework established under the Trump administration, following recent friction regarding import tariffs and purchases of Russian oil. “The hopes that we can wrap up the negotiations on our trade agreement, which we think were a few weeks away from being able to conclude”, Rubio said, adding that “both sides want to see it done”.Rubio also added that the meeting was an important for a significant meeting of the Quad alliance, between India, Australia, Japan and the United States in the Indian Pacific. He said that the alliance is moving beyond dialogues towards concrete projects, including enhanced maritime cooperation.“One of the things we’ve agreed to work on is domain awareness, working together and pooling our resources so that we can have domain awareness about what’s happening out in the sea,” said Rubio, highlighting the need to monitor shipping routes, undersea cables, and sanctioned vessels.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-f15-pilot-shot-down-twice-iran-war-survives-1780491541219">US F-15 pilot shot down twice in 33 days during Iran war, survives both incidents</a>“We held a rare Earths ministerial that was attended by over 30 countries from around the world, all of which were signing up for an American-led effort to ensure that critical supplies of rare earth minerals around the world are available for our emerging economies, and we don’t remain overly dependent on China,” said Rubio referncing a recent rare earths ministerial that brought together more than 30 countries.On May 26, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally signed the Strategic Critical Minerals Cooperation Framework at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Rubio highlighted the “Pax Silica”, an initiative of 14 countries on rare-earth materials to decrease reliance on China and supply chain independence that are critical for the future development of Artificial Intelligence, which Washington views as increasingly important for economic and national security.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says India and the US are weeks away from finalising a bilateral trade agreement. He also highlighted Quad cooperation, maritime security, and rare earth mineral partnerships.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Wednesday that a trade agreement between US and Iran is close. While responding to the questions in the House Foreign Affairs Committee about his recent India visit, Rubio said that Washington and New Delhi were only weeks away from concluding a highly anticipated comprehensive bilateral trade agreement. He repeatedly highlighted that India is an important strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific, signalling growing momentum in economic ties between the world's largest and oldest democracies. The prospective deal builds on the framework established under the Trump administration, following recent friction regarding import tariffs and purchases of Russian oil. “The hopes that we can wrap up the negotiations on our trade agreement, which we think were a few weeks away from being able to conclude”, Rubio said, adding that “both sides want to see it done”. Rubio also added that the meeting was an important for a significant meeting of the Quad alliance, between India, Australia, Japan and the United States in the Indian Pacific. He said that the alliance is moving beyond dialogues towards concrete projects, including enhanced maritime cooperation. “One of the things we’ve agreed to work on is domain awareness, working together and pooling our resources so that we can have domain awareness about what’s happening out in the sea,” said Rubio, highlighting the need to monitor shipping routes, undersea cables, and sanctioned vessels. Also Read: US F-15 pilot shot down twice in 33 days during Iran war, survives both incidents “We held a rare Earths ministerial that was attended by over 30 countries from around the world, all of which were signing up for an American-led effort to ensure that critical supplies of rare earth minerals around the world are available for our emerging economies, and we don’t remain overly dependent on China,” said Rubio referncing a recent rare earths ministerial that brought together more than 30 countries. On May 26, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally signed the Strategic Critical Minerals Cooperation Framework at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Rubio highlighted the “Pax Silica”, an initiative of 14 countries on rare-earth materials to decrease reliance on China and supply chain independence that are critical for the future development of Artificial Intelligence, which Washington views as increasingly important for economic and national security.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says India and the US are weeks away from finalising a bilateral trade agreement. He also highlighted Quad cooperation, maritime security, and rare earth mineral partnerships.

Marco Rubio says India-US trade deal weeks away, highlights Quad and rare earths cooperation

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Feb 20) said India will continue to face 18 per cent tariffs, even after the Supreme Court struck down sweeping reciprocal tariffs. The remarks came days after the court, in a 6-3 decision, ruled that Trump's sweeping duties on imports from nearly all trading partners violated federal law. The judges held that he lacked the authority under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose such wide-ranging tariffs.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-neal-katyal-all-about-the-indian-origin-lawyer-who-led-legal-challenge-against-trump-tariffs-at-scotus-1771641242108">Who is Neal Katyal? Indian-origin lawyer behind SCOTUS ruling on Trump tariffs</a><h2>What happens to 18% India tariffs?</h2>Trump was blunt when asked about the impact on the India deal. "Nothing changes," he said in response to ANI. The trade arrangement, he added, remains intact and is expected to be signed by the end of March.Under the interim US-India trade deal framework announced earlier this month, Washington reduced proposed tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from an earlier 50 per cent. In return, New Delhi agreed to eliminate tariffs on US goods."Nothing changes. They'll be paying tariffs, and we will not be paying tariffs. This is a reversal of what used to be," Trump said, calling it a "fair deal". He also described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "a great gentleman a great man" and said the agreement marked a reversal of past trade terms."In terms of the US, He was ripping us off. So we made a deal with India. A fair deal now. We are not paying tariffs to them, and they are. We did a little flip," said Trump.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/donald-trump-suffers-first-major-blow-to-his-economic-and-diplomatic-policy-opinion-1771637528141">Donald Trump suffers first major blow to his economic and diplomatic policy</a><h2>What the US-India trade deal covers</h2>India has agreed to cut or remove duties on US industrial goods and a range of farm products. These include dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum, tree nuts, fruits, soybean oil, wine and spirits.The US, on its part, will apply the 18 per cent tariff to Indian exports such as textiles, leather goods, footwear, chemicals, plastics, home decor and certain machinery.Notably, while the two nations announced the framework, the deal is yet to be signed. Officials from both countries are set to meet in the US on February 23 for three days to finalise the legal text. Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently said the agreement is likely to take effect in April.&nbsp;

Will India still face 18 per cent US tariffs even after the Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump’s sweeping reciprocal duties? President Trump says “nothing changes” under the interim trade deal.

Scroll down to find out what happens next.

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Feb 20) said India will continue to face 18 per cent tariffs, even after the Supreme Court struck down sweeping reciprocal tariffs. The remarks came days after the court, in a 6-3 decision, ruled that Trump's sweeping duties on imports from nearly all trading partners violated federal law. The judges held that he lacked the authority under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose such wide-ranging tariffs. Also read | Who is Neal Katyal? Indian-origin lawyer behind SCOTUS ruling on Trump tariffs What happens to 18% India tariffs? Trump was blunt when asked about the impact on the India deal. "Nothing changes," he said in response to ANI. The trade arrangement, he added, remains intact and is expected to be signed by the end of March. Under the interim US-India trade deal framework announced earlier this month, Washington reduced proposed tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from an earlier 50 per cent. In return, New Delhi agreed to eliminate tariffs on US goods. "Nothing changes. They'll be paying tariffs, and we will not be paying tariffs. This is a reversal of what used to be," Trump said, calling it a "fair deal". He also described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "a great gentleman a great man" and said the agreement marked a reversal of past trade terms. "In terms of the US, He was ripping us off. So we made a deal with India. A fair deal now. We are not paying tariffs to them, and they are. We did a little flip," said Trump. Also read | Donald Trump suffers first major blow to his economic and diplomatic policy What the US-India trade deal covers India has agreed to cut or remove duties on US industrial goods and a range of farm products. These include dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum, tree nuts, fruits, soybean oil, wine and spirits. The US, on its part, will apply the 18 per cent tariff to Indian exports such as textiles, leather goods, footwear, chemicals, plastics, home decor and certain machinery. Notably, while the two nations announced the framework, the deal is yet to be signed. Officials from both countries are set to meet in the US on February 23 for three days to finalise the legal text. Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal recently said the agreement is likely to take effect in April.

Will India still face 18 per cent US tariffs even after the Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump’s sweeping reciprocal duties? President Trump says “nothing changes” under the interim trade deal.Scroll down to find out what happens next.

Will India still pay 18% tariffs after SCOTUS scraps Trump reciprocal duties? Here’s what the POTUS said

Russia on Wednesday (Feb 18) vehemently rejected US suggestions that India was preparing to cut back on purchases of Russian oil. Pushing back against claims from Washington that New Delhi has agreed to halt imports of Russian crude, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it had "no reason to believe" that was true. This comes as the United States continues to claim that New Delhi has "committed" to stop importing Russian crude under the US-India trade deal. Here's all you need to know.<h2>Nothing new in Trump's claims</h2>Speaking at her weekly briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow sees "no reason to believe" that India has shifted its position on buying Russian hydrocarbons."India’s purchase of Russian hydrocarbons benefits both countries and helps maintain stability in the international energy market," she said, according to PTI.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-releases-first-official-fact-sheet-on-us-india-trade-deal-says-it-ll-open-1-4b-strong-market-to-american-goods-1770701855280">White House releases first official fact sheet on US-India trade deal; no mention of New Delhi ending Russian oil purchase</a>Zakharova also took aim at remarks by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have suggested that India had committed to stopping Russian oil imports as part of broader trade negotiations with Washington."There is nothing new in the claims of US President Donald Trump, as well as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have grabbed the right to dictate to independent nations," she said.<h2>What sparked the row?</h2>The comments come after a recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump. Following the call, both sides announced a reduction in US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent. That move included scrapping a 25 per cent duty imposed by Trump last August over India’s continued purchases of Russian oil.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/white-house-revises-us-india-trade-deal-fact-sheet-removes-key-references-including-pulses-and-digital-taxes-what-changed-explained-1770781073665">White House revises US-India trade deal fact sheet, removes key references, including pulses and digital taxes: What changed? Explained</a>Soon after, Rubio said India had "committed" to stop importing Russian crude. Trump, while announcing the trade deal, also claimed that Indian PM Modi had promised to end such imports.India, however, has neither confirmed nor publicly denied the claim. Officials in New Delhi have repeatedly stated that "national interests" remain the guiding principle in energy procurement decisions.

Russia has rejected US claims that India will halt Russian oil imports under a trade deal, saying it sees no shift in New Delhi’s position. Moscow dismissed remarks by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as baseless.

Russia on Wednesday (Feb 18) vehemently rejected US suggestions that India was preparing to cut back on purchases of Russian oil. Pushing back against claims from Washington that New Delhi has agreed to halt imports of Russian crude, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it had "no reason to believe" that was true. This comes as the United States continues to claim that New Delhi has "committed" to stop importing Russian crude under the US-India trade deal. Here's all you need to know. Nothing new in Trump's claims Speaking at her weekly briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow sees "no reason to believe" that India has shifted its position on buying Russian hydrocarbons. "India’s purchase of Russian hydrocarbons benefits both countries and helps maintain stability in the international energy market," she said, according to PTI. Also read | White House releases first official fact sheet on US-India trade deal; no mention of New Delhi ending Russian oil purchase Zakharova also took aim at remarks by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have suggested that India had committed to stopping Russian oil imports as part of broader trade negotiations with Washington. "There is nothing new in the claims of US President Donald Trump, as well as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have grabbed the right to dictate to independent nations," she said. What sparked the row? The comments come after a recent phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump. Following the call, both sides announced a reduction in US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent. That move included scrapping a 25 per cent duty imposed by Trump last August over India’s continued purchases of Russian oil. Also read | White House revises US-India trade deal fact sheet, removes key references, including pulses and digital taxes: What changed? Explained Soon after, Rubio said India had "committed" to stop importing Russian crude. Trump, while announcing the trade deal, also claimed that Indian PM Modi had promised to end such imports. India, however, has neither confirmed nor publicly denied the claim. Officials in New Delhi have repeatedly stated that "national interests" remain the guiding principle in energy procurement decisions.

Russia has rejected US claims that India will halt Russian oil imports under a trade deal, saying it sees no shift in New Delhi’s position. Moscow dismissed remarks by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as baseless.

Moscow blasts US claim India will ditch Russian oil, says Trump trying to 'grab right to dictate to independent nations'

The United States on Tuesday (Feb 10) quietly revised its official factsheet on the recently announced trade agreement with India, making several notable changes. The edits come just hours after the US released its first official fact sheet on the deal, touted as "historic".<h2>What changed?</h2>There are multiple notable changes in the US fact sheet. One of the most visible changes involves agricultural products. In the earlier version of the factsheet, the White House said "India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, certain pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products."In the updated version, the reference to pulses has been removed.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-releases-first-official-fact-sheet-on-us-india-trade-deal-says-it-ll-open-1-4b-strong-market-to-american-goods-1770701855280">White House releases first official fact sheet on US-India trade deal; no mention of New Delhi ending Russian oil purchase</a>Another important revision concerns India’s proposed purchases of American goods. The original document stated that India "committed to buy more American products and purchase over $500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, agricultural, coal, and other products". However, that wording has been softened, and the revised factsheet now reads India "intends" to buy more American products. The earlier mention of agricultural purchases has also been dropped from this section, and now it reads: "India intends to buy more American products and purchase over $500 billion of U.S. energy, information and communication technology, coal, and other products."<h2>Digital tax reference removed</h2>The updated document also removes text related to India’s digital services tax. Earlier, the factsheet said "India will remove its digital services taxes and committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade, including rules that prohibit the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions."The revised version now states only that both sides will negotiate digital trade rules to address barriers and discriminatory practices. "India committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade."Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-lifts-25-tariff-on-india-says-new-delhi-committed-to-stop-directly-or-indirectly-importing-russian-federation-oil-1770427129351">Trump lifts 25% tariff on India, says New Delhi ‘committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil’</a><h2>Core framework same</h2>Despite the revisions, the core framework of the agreement remains intact. The interim deal follows nearly a year of negotiations that began in February 2025 and aims to stabilise trade relations after a period of tension. Under the arrangement, US tariffs on Indian exports will fall to 18 per cent from as high as 50 per cent.

The US has edited its factsheet on the trade deal with India, removing key references including pulses, digital tax rollback, and even softening language on India’s $500 billion purchase plan. What changed? Scroll down to read.

The United States on Tuesday (Feb 10) quietly revised its official factsheet on the recently announced trade agreement with India, making several notable changes. The edits come just hours after the US released its first official fact sheet on the deal, touted as "historic". What changed? There are multiple notable changes in the US fact sheet. One of the most visible changes involves agricultural products. In the earlier version of the factsheet, the White House said "India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, certain pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products." In the updated version, the reference to pulses has been removed. Also read | White House releases first official fact sheet on US-India trade deal; no mention of New Delhi ending Russian oil purchase Another important revision concerns India’s proposed purchases of American goods. The original document stated that India "committed to buy more American products and purchase over $500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, agricultural, coal, and other products". However, that wording has been softened, and the revised factsheet now reads India "intends" to buy more American products. The earlier mention of agricultural purchases has also been dropped from this section, and now it reads: "India intends to buy more American products and purchase over $500 billion of U.S. energy, information and communication technology, coal, and other products." Digital tax reference removed The updated document also removes text related to India’s digital services tax. Earlier, the factsheet said "India will remove its digital services taxes and committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade, including rules that prohibit the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions." The revised version now states only that both sides will negotiate digital trade rules to address barriers and discriminatory practices. "India committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade." Also read | Trump lifts 25% tariff on India, says New Delhi ‘committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil’ Core framework same Despite the revisions, the core framework of the agreement remains intact. The interim deal follows nearly a year of negotiations that began in February 2025 and aims to stabilise trade relations after a period of tension. Under the arrangement, US tariffs on Indian exports will fall to 18 per cent from as high as 50 per cent.

The US has edited its factsheet on the trade deal with India, removing key references including pulses, digital tax rollback, and even softening language on India’s $500 billion purchase plan. What changed? Scroll down to read.

White House revises US-India trade deal fact sheet, removes key references, including pulses and digital taxes: What changed? Explained

The Donald Trump White House on Tuesday (Feb 10) released its first fact sheet on the recently released trade deal between the United States and India. The WH said that the historic deal, which will open India's market of 1.4 billion people to American products, seeks to realise "balanced, reciprocal trade with an important trading partner." Notably, the document does not mention anything concrete on India’s commitment to stop buying Russian oil, which had appeared earlier in an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump. The sole mention of this can be found in a brief statement acknowledging that Trump “agreed to remove the additional 25% tariff on imports from India in recognition of India’s commitment to stop purchasing Russian Federation oil.”Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-lifts-25-tariff-on-india-says-new-delhi-committed-to-stop-directly-or-indirectly-importing-russian-federation-oil-1770427129351">Trump lifts 25% tariff on India, says New Delhi 'committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil'</a><h2>Achieving reciprocal trade and tariff reductions</h2>According to the White House, the agreement will open India’s market of more than 1.4 billion people to American goods by lowering tariffs and easing non-tariff barriers.The agreement will see the United States reduce so-called reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the earlier 25 per cent level, though the timeline for implementing that reduction has not yet been finalised. Meanwhile, India will eliminate or reduce duties on all US industrial goods and a wide range of agricultural products.Among the specific products listed in the fact sheet are dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum used for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits.Washington has long argued that India maintains high trade barriers, and in the document cites average agricultural tariffs of "as high as an average of 37% for agricultural goods and more than 100% on certain autos".Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/t20-meets-trade-piyush-goyal-delivers-cricket-style-jab-on-india-us-tariff-deal-steals-spotlight-at-us-event-watch-1770699972794">Piyush Goyal delivers cricket-style jab on India-US tariff deal. Watch</a><h2>Digital trade and technology cooperation</h2>One of the most significant commitments highlighted in the fact sheet is India’s decision to remove its digital services tax. "India will remove its digital services taxes and committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade, including rules that prohibit the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions."The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation in technology trade, strengthen supply chain resilience and coordinate on investment screening and export controls. The White House said the agreement would "significantly increase bilateral trade in technology products" and deepen collaboration in innovation and manufacturing ecosystems.&nbsp;

The White House has released its first fact sheet on the new US-India trade deal. The document mentions tariff relief for India but offers little detail on New Delhi’s reported pledge to stop buying Russian oil. All details here.

The Donald Trump White House on Tuesday (Feb 10) released its first fact sheet on the recently released trade deal between the United States and India. The WH said that the historic deal, which will open India's market of 1.4 billion people to American products, seeks to realise "balanced, reciprocal trade with an important trading partner." Notably, the document does not mention anything concrete on India’s commitment to stop buying Russian oil, which had appeared earlier in an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump. The sole mention of this can be found in a brief statement acknowledging that Trump “agreed to remove the additional 25% tariff on imports from India in recognition of India’s commitment to stop purchasing Russian Federation oil.” Also read | Trump lifts 25% tariff on India, says New Delhi 'committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil' Achieving reciprocal trade and tariff reductions According to the White House, the agreement will open India’s market of more than 1.4 billion people to American goods by lowering tariffs and easing non-tariff barriers. The agreement will see the United States reduce so-called reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the earlier 25 per cent level, though the timeline for implementing that reduction has not yet been finalised. Meanwhile, India will eliminate or reduce duties on all US industrial goods and a wide range of agricultural products. Among the specific products listed in the fact sheet are dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum used for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits. Washington has long argued that India maintains high trade barriers, and in the document cites average agricultural tariffs of "as high as an average of 37% for agricultural goods and more than 100% on certain autos". Also read | Piyush Goyal delivers cricket-style jab on India-US tariff deal. Watch Digital trade and technology cooperation One of the most significant commitments highlighted in the fact sheet is India’s decision to remove its digital services tax. "India will remove its digital services taxes and committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade, including rules that prohibit the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions." The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation in technology trade, strengthen supply chain resilience and coordinate on investment screening and export controls. The White House said the agreement would "significantly increase bilateral trade in technology products" and deepen collaboration in innovation and manufacturing ecosystems.

The White House has released its first fact sheet on the new US-India trade deal. The document mentions tariff relief for India but offers little detail on New Delhi’s reported pledge to stop buying Russian oil. All details here.

White House releases first official fact sheet on US-India trade deal; no mention of New Delhi ending Russian oil purchase

United States President Donald Trump on Friday (Feb 6) initiated the first concrete step toward implementing a newly announced trade understanding with India, lifting the 25 per cent tariff he imposed for New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil. Trump signed an executive order to remove the additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods. The move comes after months of trade friction between the two countries.<h2>India to stop buying Russian oil?</h2>According to the executive order signed Friday, "India has committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil".Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-oil-out-trump-claims-india-ready-to-buy-seized-venezuelan-oil-from-us-1769920129675">Russian oil out? Trump claims India ready to buy seized Venezuelan oil from US</a>It adds that New Delhi intends to significantly expand purchases of American products, "and has recently committed to a framework with the United States to expand defence cooperation over the next 10&nbsp;years."<h2>When will the tariff relief be implemented?</h2>The tariff relief took effect at 12:01 am Eastern Time on Saturday (Feb 7), easing pressure on Indian exporters who had been facing elevated duties in the American market.The move follows Trump’s announcement earlier this week of a broader trade deal with India, which aims to reset economic ties strained by disagreements over India’s continued purchases of Russian crude during the Ukraine war.Beyond the immediate tariff rollback, the agreement will also see the United States reduce so-called reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the earlier 25 per cent level, though the timeline for implementing that reduction has not yet been finalised.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-safe-is-the-rupee-from-trump-s-tantrums-economic-survey-2025-26-reveals-risks-1769676289934">How safe is the rupee from Trump's tantrums? Economic Survey 2025-26 reveals risks</a>A joint statement released by the White House said India intends to purchase $500 billion of US energy products, aircraft and parts, precious metals, tech products and coking coal over the next five years. The agreement also includes provisions to remove tariffs on certain aircraft and aviation parts.The development marks a notable cooling of tensions after US tariffs on Indian goods climbed to as high as 50 per cent late last year. It also goes to restore ties between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom the POTUS has described as "one of my greatest friends."

The United States has lifted the additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods after President Donald Trump signed an executive order implementing a new trade understanding with India.

United States President Donald Trump on Friday (Feb 6) initiated the first concrete step toward implementing a newly announced trade understanding with India, lifting the 25 per cent tariff he imposed for New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil. Trump signed an executive order to remove the additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods. The move comes after months of trade friction between the two countries. India to stop buying Russian oil? According to the executive order signed Friday, "India has committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil". Also read | Russian oil out? Trump claims India ready to buy seized Venezuelan oil from US It adds that New Delhi intends to significantly expand purchases of American products, "and has recently committed to a framework with the United States to expand defence cooperation over the next 10 years." When will the tariff relief be implemented? The tariff relief took effect at 12:01 am Eastern Time on Saturday (Feb 7), easing pressure on Indian exporters who had been facing elevated duties in the American market. The move follows Trump’s announcement earlier this week of a broader trade deal with India, which aims to reset economic ties strained by disagreements over India’s continued purchases of Russian crude during the Ukraine war. Beyond the immediate tariff rollback, the agreement will also see the United States reduce so-called reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the earlier 25 per cent level, though the timeline for implementing that reduction has not yet been finalised. Also read | How safe is the rupee from Trump's tantrums? Economic Survey 2025-26 reveals risks A joint statement released by the White House said India intends to purchase $500 billion of US energy products, aircraft and parts, precious metals, tech products and coking coal over the next five years. The agreement also includes provisions to remove tariffs on certain aircraft and aviation parts. The development marks a notable cooling of tensions after US tariffs on Indian goods climbed to as high as 50 per cent late last year. It also goes to restore ties between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom the POTUS has described as "one of my greatest friends."

The United States has lifted the additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods after President Donald Trump signed an executive order implementing a new trade understanding with India.

Trump lifts 25% tariff on India, says New Delhi 'committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil'

Months ahead of the announcement of the India-US trade deal, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval reportedly visited Washington, where he told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that India would not be bullied by US President Donald Trump and was willing to wait out till his term ended. This comes after Trump announced a trade deal between the US and India on Monday (Feb 2) after a call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.According to a Bloomberg report, Doval told Rubio he wanted to get back to negotiations on the trade deal and put the acrimony between the two nations behind them. However, he warned him that India would not be bullied by Trump and his top aides, the outlet reported, citing officials in New Delhi familiar with the meeting.The NSA further told Rubio that India would also be willing to wait out Trump’s term, but wanted the US administration to dial down its public criticism so that relations between the two nations could be brought back on track.Reportedly, the meeting took place in early September, shortly after PM Modi held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.Announcing the trade deal, Trump claimed that India “agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela.”While PM Modi confirmed the trade deal, he did not mention any commitments regarding Russian oil purchases.“Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement. When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation,” PM Modi wrote on X.“President Trump’s leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights,” he added.

Months before the India-US trade deal, NSA Ajit Doval reportedly told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington that India would not be bullied by President Donald Trump and was prepared to wait out his term.

Months ahead of the announcement of the India-US trade deal, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval reportedly visited Washington, where he told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that India would not be bullied by US President Donald Trump and was willing to wait out till his term ended. This comes after Trump announced a trade deal between the US and India on Monday (Feb 2) after a call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to a Bloomberg report, Doval told Rubio he wanted to get back to negotiations on the trade deal and put the acrimony between the two nations behind them. However, he warned him that India would not be bullied by Trump and his top aides, the outlet reported, citing officials in New Delhi familiar with the meeting. The NSA further told Rubio that India would also be willing to wait out Trump’s term, but wanted the US administration to dial down its public criticism so that relations between the two nations could be brought back on track. Reportedly, the meeting took place in early September, shortly after PM Modi held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Announcing the trade deal, Trump claimed that India “agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela.” While PM Modi confirmed the trade deal, he did not mention any commitments regarding Russian oil purchases. “Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement. When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation,” PM Modi wrote on X. “President Trump’s leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights,” he added.

Months before the India-US trade deal, NSA Ajit Doval reportedly told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington that India would not be bullied by President Donald Trump and was prepared to wait out his term.

Was India willing to wait out Trump’s term amid trade tensions with US? What Ajit Doval told Rubio

The U.S. and India have signed a trade deal, the countries’ leaders announced, although details remain scant.
The deal comes days after the European Union and India signed a free trade agreement in which they agreed to slash tariffs on most goods to zero, but over a number of years.

India-US Trade Deal: PM Modi Confirms Revised 18% Tariffs, But Details Awaited 

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday announced a trade deal with India that slashes U.S. tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50% in exchange for India halting Russian oil purchases and lowering trade barriers.


US Trade Tariffs on Indian Exports Cut to 18% from 50% 

PM Modi Confirms Revised 18% Tariffs, But Details Awaited 

Trump Says US Will Cut India Import Tariffs Import from 50% to 18%

US President Donald Trump's decision to lower reciprocal tariffs on India from 50% to 18% has been met with a sense of relief in Asia's third-largest economy, even as precise details on the agreement remain sketchy.


US-India Trade Deal: Trump Cuts India Tariffs in Trade Deal 

The ‍Trump administration is dropping a ⁠25% additional tariffs imposed on Indian imports over its ‌purchases ‌of Russian oil, in addition ‌to lowering a country-specific tariff to 18% from 25%.

Trump Announces India Trade Deal as US Considers Cutting Russian Oil Tariff

Trump Announces India Trade Deal as US May Cut 25% Tariff on Russian Oil

US Congressman Adam Smith, a senior Democrat from Washington’s 9th district, and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, has pointed to strong support for India at the US Congress and expressed hope for a bilateral India US trade deal following India's newly announced Free Trade Agreement with the European Union.&nbsp;“There’s incredibly strong support, a bipartisan House and Senate,” Smith said, while speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal. “People recognise how important a partner India is, and want to build and enhance that relationship.”&nbsp;The lawmaker, who is a long-time member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, and a 28-year veteran of Congress, described current relations as “a little tense right now” due to President Donald Trump’s rhetoric and tariffs aimed at reshoring US manufacturing. “I find it troubling that the President has said some of the things he said, and how it has made the relationship more divisive than it should be,” he explained.&nbsp;He highlighted India’s EU FTA as adding “greater incentive and urgency” to concluding a US-India trade agreement. Full interview:<h2> How has your visit to Delhi been?</h2>Well, it's been very well received. We've met with the foreign minister. We met with a number of Indian businesses. Our focus is on the defence industry. We're part of the Armed Services Committee in the United States House. So we want to enhance and build the defence relationship between India and the US, and crucially, between defence companies, to help increase the manufacture of defence products.<h2>So far, how do you see the trajectory between India and the US in terms of defense and what's the way forward when it comes to defence cooperation, collaboration, perhaps co-production?</h2> I think it's been very positive. We started 10-15 years ago. For a long time, there was not much of a relationship at all, but there was a really concerted effort across multiple administrations in both countries to build on that, to try to get us to the point where we are sharing more defence production and working closer together. The two largest democracies in the world, we have a natural relationship and partnership. Very large Indian American community in the US, my district in particular. So we want to grow that relationship, increase trade and increase our ability to produce defence products. I think we're headed in the right direction. I will say we have a long way to go. I think the potential is limitless.<h2>When it comes to India, US relationship, what's your view like? Because here in Delhi, there is a lot of increased scepticism, and we have seen that's primarily because of the comments by the US president, Donald Trump. So, how do you, as a congressman characterize the relationship?</h2>Yeah, I mean, to be honest, I'm a Democrat from the opposite party. I don't support the President's language. I don't support the tariffs. I understand why he did it. He's focused on trying to bring manufacturing back to the US. I don't agree that that's going to work. I think some of the language that has been used has been unnecessarily divisive with India.&nbsp;&nbsp;Like, I know that the President thinks that India is an incredibly important partner. He wants a strong relationship. So whatever the rhetoric, some of the actions, other things, want to move in a different direction. But no, I don't think that's helped. Don't think that's helpful. I think that generates, you know, more tension between our two countries. That's part of the reason we're here, is we want to have other members of Congress, other people come out. It's good that we now have an ambassador here. We've had several meetings with Ambassador Gor. I think he's going to significantly improve the relationship. But, yeah, it's a little tense right now. I want to see it get better.<h2>But what's the view at the hill, at the Congress, when it comes to India, US relationship?</h2> There's incredibly strong support, a bipartisan House and Senate. People recognise how important a partner India is, and want to build and enhance that relationship. I'm a member of the India Caucus. I mean, we see the potential for the relationship and our shared interests in the region, concerned about the role that China is playing. How do we make sure that we have an adequate deterrence to that and work together? So there's very strong bipartisan support for the US-India relationship in Congress.&nbsp;<h2>But do you think that the Congress will be able to give a sense to the President when it comes to the India-US relationship? Perhaps the last few months, the last year, has been the worst in terms of the relationship when it comes to the last 20 years, because it looks like the gains of 20 years have been reversed in many ways.</h2> Yeah, I don't think the gains have been reversed. I think that's an overstatement. I mean, there are too many relationships that have been built to be reversed by just a few words from our president and those actions. So I think there's a greater strength there. Look, I'm gonna be honest with you, I find it troubling that the President has said some of the things he said, and how it has made the relationship more divisive than it should be, and I think we need to work to rebuild that. I think there is more strength underlying that than just a few actions by this president can change.&nbsp;<h2>You're hopeful the tariffs will be removed, because there are hints coming from the top Trump officials, including by the president himself, who recently, last week in Davos, said that there will be a trade deal.</h2> Yeah, well, we're building towards that trade deal. And I know India has just announced their trade deal with the EU that gives greater incentive and urgency to us getting that deal done. And I know there's a desire to do that, and I'm hopeful that we can reduce the tariffs as a result of that. And you know, domestically, we also there's a lawsuit working its way through the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court could remove the tariffs as being illegal , as the president didn't have the power to impose them without Congress. So there are a lot of things that can happen here in the near term that would reduce those tariffs. I and a lot of other members of Congress and I are working all of those avenues to try and bring those tariffs down.<h2>On your meeting with the Indian External Affairs Minister. How was the meeting? &nbsp;</h2>Well, it's very impressive. Your External Affairs Minister is such a seasoned, experienced diplomat, certainly in US India relations, but across the world, we had good conversations with him about some of his interactions with President Putin and Russia. Now, I think he recognizes everything that we talked about here, and at the end of the day, something that our president, the minister, PM Modi, we all want a strong relationship between India and the US, and that's what we're going to going to work towards, as I mentioned, and as you mentioned, there's been a couple hiccups in that. You're a democracy, so you could appreciate this. We have a lot of different voices in our government, and they all have a right to be heard. But there is strong, strong support for India, across the board, in our country and in our government.<h2> Over the last one year, we have seen a tilt by the Trump administration towards Pakistan, which has created a lot of bad will, I would say here in Delhi, given the fact that Pakistan supports cross-border terrorism into India. Is it here to stay, or is it just a fleeting thing which is happening in Washington?</h2> I think that's a slight misinterpretation by India. I don't think President Trump has tilted towards Pakistan. We have individual relationships with every country in the world. We have an individual relationship with India. We have an individual relationship with Pakistan. I hope, and I can understand why India would view it that way. But I don't really see it as a tilt towards Pakistan. We're trying to manage that relationship as we're trying to build on this relationship. So I don't think India needs to worry about the US abandoning India for Pakistan. That's not where I see this administration headed, even as much as I disagree with the tariffs that they put on Pakistan and everybody else as well. I do understand India got more because of the Russian oil issue, but no, I wouldn't interpret it as a tilt towards Pakistan. &nbsp;

Smith said, “I'm a Democrat from the opposite party. I don't support the President's language. I don't support the tariffs. I understand why he did it. He's focused on trying to bring manufacturing back to the US. I don't agree that that's going to work”.

US Congressman Adam Smith, a senior Democrat from Washington’s 9th district, and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, has pointed to strong support for India at the US Congress and expressed hope for a bilateral India US trade deal following India's newly announced Free Trade Agreement with the European Union. “There’s incredibly strong support, a bipartisan House and Senate,” Smith said, while speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal. “People recognise how important a partner India is, and want to build and enhance that relationship.” The lawmaker, who is a long-time member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, and a 28-year veteran of Congress, described current relations as “a little tense right now” due to President Donald Trump’s rhetoric and tariffs aimed at reshoring US manufacturing. “I find it troubling that the President has said some of the things he said, and how it has made the relationship more divisive than it should be,” he explained. He highlighted India’s EU FTA as adding “greater incentive and urgency” to concluding a US-India trade agreement. Full interview: How has your visit to Delhi been? Well, it's been very well received. We've met with the foreign minister. We met with a number of Indian businesses. Our focus is on the defence industry. We're part of the Armed Services Committee in the United States House. So we want to enhance and build the defence relationship between India and the US, and crucially, between defence companies, to help increase the manufacture of defence products. So far, how do you see the trajectory between India and the US in terms of defense and what's the way forward when it comes to defence cooperation, collaboration, perhaps co-production? I think it's been very positive. We started 10-15 years ago. For a long time, there was not much of a relationship at all, but there was a really concerted effort across multiple administrations in both countries to build on that, to try to get us to the point where we are sharing more defence production and working closer together. The two largest democracies in the world, we have a natural relationship and partnership. Very large Indian American community in the US, my district in particular. So we want to grow that relationship, increase trade and increase our ability to produce defence products. I think we're headed in the right direction. I will say we have a long way to go. I think the potential is limitless. When it comes to India, US relationship, what's your view like? Because here in Delhi, there is a lot of increased scepticism, and we have seen that's primarily because of the comments by the US president, Donald Trump. So, how do you, as a congressman characterize the relationship? Yeah, I mean, to be honest, I'm a Democrat from the opposite party. I don't support the President's language. I don't support the tariffs. I understand why he did it. He's focused on trying to bring manufacturing back to the US. I don't agree that that's going to work. I think some of the language that has been used has been unnecessarily divisive with India. Like, I know that the President thinks that India is an incredibly important partner. He wants a strong relationship. So whatever the rhetoric, some of the actions, other things, want to move in a different direction. But no, I don't think that's helped. Don't think that's helpful. I think that generates, you know, more tension between our two countries. That's part of the reason we're here, is we want to have other members of Congress, other people come out. It's good that we now have an ambassador here. We've had several meetings with Ambassador Gor. I think he's going to significantly improve the relationship. But, yeah, it's a little tense right now. I want to see it get better. But what's the view at the hill, at the Congress, when it comes to India, US relationship? There's incredibly strong support, a bipartisan House and Senate. People recognise how important a partner India is, and want to build and enhance that relationship. I'm a member of the India Caucus. I mean, we see the potential for the relationship and our shared interests in the region, concerned about the role that China is playing. How do we make sure that we have an adequate deterrence to that and work together? So there's very strong bipartisan support for the US-India relationship in Congress. But do you think that the Congress will be able to give a sense to the President when it comes to the India-US relationship? Perhaps the last few months, the last year, has been the worst in terms of the relationship when it comes to the last 20 years, because it looks like the gains of 20 years have been reversed in many ways. Yeah, I don't think the gains have been reversed. I think that's an overstatement. I mean, there are too many relationships that have been built to be reversed by just a few words from our president and those actions. So I think there's a greater strength there. Look, I'm gonna be honest with you, I find it troubling that the President has said some of the things he said, and how it has made the relationship more divisive than it should be, and I think we need to work to rebuild that. I think there is more strength underlying that than just a few actions by this president can change. You're hopeful the tariffs will be removed, because there are hints coming from the top Trump officials, including by the president himself, who recently, last week in Davos, said that there will be a trade deal. Yeah, well, we're building towards that trade deal. And I know India has just announced their trade deal with the EU that gives greater incentive and urgency to us getting that deal done. And I know there's a desire to do that, and I'm hopeful that we can reduce the tariffs as a result of that. And you know, domestically, we also there's a lawsuit working its way through the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court could remove the tariffs as being illegal , as the president didn't have the power to impose them without Congress. So there are a lot of things that can happen here in the near term that would reduce those tariffs. I and a lot of other members of Congress and I are working all of those avenues to try and bring those tariffs down. On your meeting with the Indian External Affairs Minister. How was the meeting? Well, it's very impressive. Your External Affairs Minister is such a seasoned, experienced diplomat, certainly in US India relations, but across the world, we had good conversations with him about some of his interactions with President Putin and Russia. Now, I think he recognizes everything that we talked about here, and at the end of the day, something that our president, the minister, PM Modi, we all want a strong relationship between India and the US, and that's what we're going to going to work towards, as I mentioned, and as you mentioned, there's been a couple hiccups in that. You're a democracy, so you could appreciate this. We have a lot of different voices in our government, and they all have a right to be heard. But there is strong, strong support for India, across the board, in our country and in our government. Over the last one year, we have seen a tilt by the Trump administration towards Pakistan, which has created a lot of bad will, I would say here in Delhi, given the fact that Pakistan supports cross-border terrorism into India. Is it here to stay, or is it just a fleeting thing which is happening in Washington? I think that's a slight misinterpretation by India. I don't think President Trump has tilted towards Pakistan. We have individual relationships with every country in the world. We have an individual relationship with India. We have an individual relationship with Pakistan. I hope, and I can understand why India would view it that way. But I don't really see it as a tilt towards Pakistan. We're trying to manage that relationship as we're trying to build on this relationship. So I don't think India needs to worry about the US abandoning India for Pakistan. That's not where I see this administration headed, even as much as I disagree with the tariffs that they put on Pakistan and everybody else as well. I do understand India got more because of the Russian oil issue, but no, I wouldn't interpret it as a tilt towards Pakistan.

Smith said, “I'm a Democrat from the opposite party. I don't support the President's language. I don't support the tariffs. I understand why he did it. He's focused on trying to bring manufacturing back to the US. I don't agree that that's going to work”.

US Congressman Adam Smith says strong support for India at the US Congress, hopes for trade deal soon

US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on India on Wednesday (July 30). Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, the American president wrote, "Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country."&nbsp;"Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE killing in UKRAINE - ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIAN WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST. Thank you for your ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. MAGA!" Trump added.In a subsequent post, Trump said, "WE HAVE A MASSIVE TRADE DEFICIT WITH INDIA!!!"<h2>How did India's opposition react?</h2>Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote on the social media platform X, "President Trump has slapped a tariff of 25% plus penalty on imports from India. All that taarif between him and Howdy Modi has meant little."&nbsp;"Mr. Modi thought that if he kept quiet on the insults that the US President has hurled on India -- the 30 claims of stopping Op Sindoor, the special lunch for the Pakistan Army Chief whose inflammatory remarks provided the immediate backdrop to the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks, and US support for financial packages to Pakistan from the IMF and the World Bank --- India would get special treatment at the hands of President Trump. Clearly that has NOT happened," the Congress leader added. "He should take inspiration from Indira Gandhi and stand up to the US President," Ramesh added.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump has slapped a tariff of 25% plus penalty on imports from India. All that taarif between him and Howdy Modi has meant little. Mr. Modi thought that if he kept quiet on the insults that the US President has hurled on India -- the 30 claims of stopping Op Sindoor,…&mdash; Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/1950537566408618132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Another Congress leader, &nbsp;Ujjwal Raman Singh, said, "The people of India will not bow down before America...We have been saying that India's foreign policy has failed, and now we are seeing our economic policy also failing."Moreover, Congress MP Udit Raj wrote, Has the US become India’s sovereign authority? Trump has unilaterally declared 25% tariffs, in addition to a penalty levied for buying oil and weapons from Russia. Rahul Gandhi has exhorted PM Modi in Parliament that he should get inspiration from Mrs Indira &nbsp;Gandhi, and there is still time to think and act. PM Modi should immediately dare to reply in the same coin."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Has US has become India’s sovereign authority? Trump has unilaterally declared 25% tariffs , in addition to penalty leviable for buying oil and weapons from Russia. Rahul Gandhi has exhorted PM Modi in Parliament that he should get inspiration from Mrs Indira Gandhi , time is…&mdash; Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dr_Uditraj/status/1950541719013130720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Congress spokesperson Suprya Shrinate wrote on X, "This will be disastrous for the Indian economy. US President Donald Trump announces a 25% tariff on India besides a penalty for procuring oil and arms from Russia. This comes despite Mr Modi bending backwards to woo Mr Trump. This is a clear sign of how the BJP Govt and the Prime Minister have compromised India’s national interest." &nbsp; "This move will have far reaching consequences on our economy, on our domestic industry, our exports and in turn employment. One wonders, what did Mr Modi discuss when he rushed to see the US President without an invitation?" she further wrote. "What did ‘Namaste Trump’, ‘Howdy Modi’, ‘Abki Baar Trump Sarkar’ really yield for India?" she added.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This will be disastrous for the Indian economy. US President Donald Trump announces a 25% tariff on India besides a penalty for procuring oil and arms from Russia. This comes despite Mr Modi bending backwards to woo Mr Trump. This is a clear sign of how the BJP Govt and the… <a href="https://t.co/QZJk2Asr0D">pic.twitter.com/QZJk2Asr0D</a>&mdash; Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) <a href="https://twitter.com/SupriyaShrinate/status/1950538335518142897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Meanwhile, Trump's announcement also led to reactions from the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) as &nbsp;BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said, Certainly, the Government of India will take cognisance of it. We have to wait and watch how the Government of India reacts to it. In my personal opinion, it is unfortunate."&nbsp;Also, not an opposition party though but the Indian regional party, TDP, also reacted on the matter as TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu said, "...I think we will absorb this. In the long run, the American markets will realise and definitely reduce the tariffs...We have to see how this will impact..."

Donald Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on India along with a penalty. The Indian opposition, along with Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, gave various reactions on the matter. 

US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on India on Wednesday (July 30). Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, the American president wrote, "Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the world, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country." "Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE killing in UKRAINE - ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIAN WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST. Thank you for your ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. MAGA!" Trump added. In a subsequent post, Trump said, "WE HAVE A MASSIVE TRADE DEFICIT WITH INDIA!!!" How did India's opposition react? Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote on the social media platform X, "President Trump has slapped a tariff of 25% plus penalty on imports from India. All that taarif between him and Howdy Modi has meant little." "Mr. Modi thought that if he kept quiet on the insults that the US President has hurled on India -- the 30 claims of stopping Op Sindoor, the special lunch for the Pakistan Army Chief whose inflammatory remarks provided the immediate backdrop to the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks, and US support for financial packages to Pakistan from the IMF and the World Bank --- India would get special treatment at the hands of President Trump. Clearly that has NOT happened," the Congress leader added. "He should take inspiration from Indira Gandhi and stand up to the US President," Ramesh added.

Donald Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on India along with a penalty. The Indian opposition, along with Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, gave various reactions on the matter.&nbsp;

Trump imposes 25% tariff on India: Here's how the opposition reacted

US President Donald Trump has threatened to slap tariffs of up to 25% on Indian imports if Washington and New Delhi fail to finalise a trade deal soon.<h2>Trump: “They are going to pay 25%”</h2>Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said, “They are going to pay 25%,” when asked about tariffs on Indian goods. Pressed further on whether the rate would be 20% to 25%, he replied, “Yeah, I think so. India has been, they’re my friends.” Although Trump referred to India as a friendly partner, he has repeatedly criticised the country’s trade practices and high import duties, calling the relationship “very tough”.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-ten-days-from-today-trump-disappointed-in-putin-issues-fresh-ultimatum-to-russia-to-end-ukraine-war-or-face-sanctions-1753814691193">‘Ten days from today’: Trump, ‘disappointed’ in Putin, issues fresh ULTIMATUM to Russia to end Ukraine war or face sanctions</a><h2>USTR says more negotiations needed</h2>US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC that more discussions are required to reach a trade agreement with India. “They have expressed strong interest in opening portions of their market, we of course are willing to continue talking to them,” Greer said. “But I think we need some more negotiations on that with our Indian friends to see how ambitious they want to be,” he added.Despite efforts from both sides, no specific sticking points have been revealed publicly. However, India’s commerce minister recently expressed optimism about reaching a deal before Trump’s self-imposed deadline of 1 August.<h2>Tariffs already paused once</h2>Earlier in April, Trump had already set a tariff rate of 26% on Indian imports but paused the move while waiting for trade talks to progress. Unlike in cases with other countries, Trump has not yet issued a formal tariff warning letter to India.The US has taken issue not only with India’s high tariffs but also with its non-tariff barriers, such as digital service taxes and complex regulations for foreign imports. The administration has called India’s testing requirements “uniquely burdensome.”Trump has frequently raised concerns about the trade gap with India. Last year, the US imported $87 billion worth of goods from India, compared to $42 billion in exports to India. Major Indian exports to the US included pharmaceuticals, smartphones, and clothing. “They charge more tariffs than any other country,” Trump said back in February, just before a meeting with Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra&nbsp;Modi.

President Trump warned of imposing up to 25% tariffs on Indian imports if a trade deal isn’t reached soon, calling India a friend but criticising its trade practices and high duties.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to slap tariffs of up to 25% on Indian imports if Washington and New Delhi fail to finalise a trade deal soon. Trump: “They are going to pay 25%” Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said, “They are going to pay 25%,” when asked about tariffs on Indian goods. Pressed further on whether the rate would be 20% to 25%, he replied, “Yeah, I think so. India has been, they’re my friends.” Although Trump referred to India as a friendly partner, he has repeatedly criticised the country’s trade practices and high import duties, calling the relationship “very tough”. Also read: ‘Ten days from today’: Trump, ‘disappointed’ in Putin, issues fresh ULTIMATUM to Russia to end Ukraine war or face sanctions USTR says more negotiations needed US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC that more discussions are required to reach a trade agreement with India. “They have expressed strong interest in opening portions of their market, we of course are willing to continue talking to them,” Greer said. “But I think we need some more negotiations on that with our Indian friends to see how ambitious they want to be,” he added. Despite efforts from both sides, no specific sticking points have been revealed publicly. However, India’s commerce minister recently expressed optimism about reaching a deal before Trump’s self-imposed deadline of 1 August. Tariffs already paused once Earlier in April, Trump had already set a tariff rate of 26% on Indian imports but paused the move while waiting for trade talks to progress. Unlike in cases with other countries, Trump has not yet issued a formal tariff warning letter to India. The US has taken issue not only with India’s high tariffs but also with its non-tariff barriers, such as digital service taxes and complex regulations for foreign imports. The administration has called India’s testing requirements “uniquely burdensome.” Trump has frequently raised concerns about the trade gap with India. Last year, the US imported $87 billion worth of goods from India, compared to $42 billion in exports to India. Major Indian exports to the US included pharmaceuticals, smartphones, and clothing. “They charge more tariffs than any other country,” Trump said back in February, just before a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

President Trump warned of imposing up to 25% tariffs on Indian imports if a trade deal isn’t reached soon, calling India a friend but criticising its trade practices and high duties.

'They are going to pay': Trump warns India of 25% tariffs if no trade deal is reached

US President Donald Trump has suggested that a trade agreement with India could be on the horizon, saying “another deal is coming… maybe,” according to a Reuters report. Speaking about trade negotiations, Trump said, “We have some pretty good deals to announce.”Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-won-t-rule-out-firing-lousy-jerome-powell-can-us-president-even-fire-federal-reserve-chair-1752684726290">Trump ‘won’t rule out’ firing ‘lousy’ Jerome Powell - Can US president even fire Federal&nbsp;Reserve&nbsp;chair?</a><h2>India pushes back on any rushed deal</h2>The comment comes as a delegation from India’s commerce ministry is in Washington, DC for another round of trade talks. However, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has made it clear that New Delhi will not be rushed. “India does not enter into any trade agreement based on deadlines and will accept the proposed trade deal with the US only when it is fully finalised, properly concluded, and in the national interest,” Goyal told PTI earlier this month.<h2>What does the US want from India?</h2>The US is pushing for greater access to the Indian market, particularly for American agricultural and dairy products. Trump drew a comparison to Indonesia, where he recently signed a deal allowing American firms full trade access. “Indonesia was great. He [President Prabowo Subianto] is a great president and we made a terrific deal,” Trump said. “I think something similar will happen, I would say, with India,” he added.<h2>What is Trump's deal with Indonesia?</h2>Under the new agreement, Indonesian goods would face a 19% tariff when exported to the US, while US exports to Jakarta would face no tariffs, an asymmetric arrangement favouring American companies. Indonesia initially received a tariff letter stating that the country’s goods would face a 32% tariff starting on August 1 if an agreement was not reached.<h2>India seeks tariff relief on metals and autos</h2>While India is keen to avoid US-imposed tariffs, officials have said they won’t compromise core interests. New Delhi is particularly seeking relief from the 26% additional tariff on various goods, as well as steep duties on steel, aluminium (50%), and automobiles (25%). India has also remained firm on its stance regarding dairy imports, refusing to offer duty concessions in that sector under any free trade agreement to date.It is worth noting that India was not among the 14 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh and Myanmar, that received Trump’s latest wave of letters threatening tariff action.

The US is pushing for greater access to the Indian market, particularly for American agricultural and dairy products. Trump drew a comparison to Indonesia, where he recently signed a deal allowing American firms full trade access. 

US President Donald Trump has suggested that a trade agreement with India could be on the horizon, saying “another deal is coming… maybe,” according to a Reuters report. Speaking about trade negotiations, Trump said, “We have some pretty good deals to announce.” Also read: Trump ‘won’t rule out’ firing ‘lousy’ Jerome Powell - Can US president even fire Federal Reserve chair? India pushes back on any rushed deal The comment comes as a delegation from India’s commerce ministry is in Washington, DC for another round of trade talks. However, Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has made it clear that New Delhi will not be rushed. “India does not enter into any trade agreement based on deadlines and will accept the proposed trade deal with the US only when it is fully finalised, properly concluded, and in the national interest,” Goyal told PTI earlier this month. What does the US want from India? The US is pushing for greater access to the Indian market, particularly for American agricultural and dairy products. Trump drew a comparison to Indonesia, where he recently signed a deal allowing American firms full trade access. “Indonesia was great. He [President Prabowo Subianto] is a great president and we made a terrific deal,” Trump said. “I think something similar will happen, I would say, with India,” he added. What is Trump's deal with Indonesia? Under the new agreement, Indonesian goods would face a 19% tariff when exported to the US, while US exports to Jakarta would face no tariffs, an asymmetric arrangement favouring American companies. Indonesia initially received a tariff letter stating that the country’s goods would face a 32% tariff starting on August 1 if an agreement was not reached. India seeks tariff relief on metals and autos While India is keen to avoid US-imposed tariffs, officials have said they won’t compromise core interests. New Delhi is particularly seeking relief from the 26% additional tariff on various goods, as well as steep duties on steel, aluminium (50%), and automobiles (25%). India has also remained firm on its stance regarding dairy imports, refusing to offer duty concessions in that sector under any free trade agreement to date. It is worth noting that India was not among the 14 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh and Myanmar, that received Trump’s latest wave of letters threatening tariff action.

The US is pushing for greater access to the Indian market, particularly for American agricultural and dairy products. Trump drew a comparison to Indonesia, where he recently signed a deal allowing American firms full trade access.&nbsp;

US-India trade deal in sight? Trump says deal could happen ‘soon’, hints it may resemble Indonesia agreement - All you need to know

US President Donald Trump is a tough negotiator when it comes to trade or other issues that matter to America. Trump has time and again said that he like PM Modi but he is not so sure when it comes to India that they have treated us unfairly and will India-US will be signing a tremendous deal.

Will trade negotiations happen in Trump's India visit?

India has offered to partially open up its poultry and dairy markets in a bid for a limited trade deal during US President Donald Trump's first official visit. Trump's trip to India has raised hopes that he would restore some of the country's US trade preferences, in exchange for tariff reductions and other concessions.

India goes extra mile for Trade deal

Trump Visit: India pushes for a trade deal

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