'Not going to mix visas and trade': Visas off the table as India and US focus on oil and tariffs in trade talks; Russian oil remains key hurdle
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Not going to mix visas and trade': Visas off the table as India and US focus on oil and tariffs in trade talks; Russian oil remains key hurdle")
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump Photograph: (Reuters)
India’s trade team returned from Washington after talks with US counterparts, focusing on Russian oil, tariffs, and energy security. Piyush Goyal remains in America, boosting investment and signalling deeper energy cooperation.
India’s trade negotiating team, led by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, has returned from the United States after holding talks with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The meeting was not a formal round of negotiations but was seen as an important step in bringing discussions for a trade deal back on track. Two people familiar with the talks said the exchange helped ease tensions between New Delhi and Washington. Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal remains in the US, meeting with business leaders to encourage investment in India.
Why Russian oil is the sticking point
A US official said that the Russian oil trade remains the thorniest issue between the two countries. Any final agreement, the official suggested, may require India to scale back purchases of Russian oil to support efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The official also indicated that the US is looking for a single, broad solution to trade differences rather than piecemeal fixes. This could involve setting a new tariff percentage for Indian goods once the oil issue is resolved.
Where visas stand in the talks
The H-1B visa issue is not part of the trade discussions, according to the US official. “Visa is a global policy and not to target India. We are not going to mix visas and trade,” the official said, adding that changes to the visa system would require legal reforms and must be addressed separately.
Trending Stories
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
What role energy security could play
Energy security has become a central part of India’s pitch. Speaking in the US, Piyush Goyal said India’s energy imports would include a “very high element” of US involvement in the coming years. He also expressed interest in America’s small modular reactor (SMR) technology, signalling closer cooperation in the nuclear energy sector.
India is the third-largest consumer of crude oil in the world, importing nearly 88% of its needs. It is also one of the biggest importers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), with around half of its demand being met through imports. The US has become a key partner, ranking as the fifth-largest supplier of crude oil and the second-largest supplier of LNG to India.
What comes next for the trade deal
The talks come as the US has imposed 25% additional tariffs on India over its continued imports of Russian oil. Indian officials have hinted that stepping up energy imports from the US could be part of a compromise to reach a deal.
In recent months, Indian refiners have increased American oil imports, a move seen as a signal that New Delhi is willing to strengthen its energy partnership with Washington while keeping negotiations alive.
