Jaishankar counters Trump's 'zero tariff' claim, says talks still ongoing

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responds to US President Donald Trump's 'zero tariff' claim, stating that India-US trade talks are ongoing, complex, and far from final

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Thursday clarified that trade talks between India and the United States are still in progress and far from being finalised, pushing back on US President Donald Trump’s recent claim that India has offered a trade deal with “literally zero tariffs”.

 

“Between India and the US, trade talks have been going on. These are complicated negotiations. Nothing is decided till everything is. Any trade deal has to be mutually beneficial; it has to work for both countries. That would be our expectation from the trade deal. Until that is done, any judgment on it would be premature,” Jaishankar told journalists.

 

 

His remarks came shortly after Trump claim at a business forum in Qatar, where he said India had offered a trade deal with zero tariffs. “It is very hard to sell in India. India has offered us a deal where basically they are willing to literally charge us no tariff,” Trump said.

 

The comments have stirred speculation as both nations work to finalise a trade pact before the 90-day tariff reprieve announced by Trump on April 9 comes to an end. Talks have picked up momentum since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in February, with both sides hoping to conclude the first phase of the deal by the fall.

 

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is also scheduled to visit the United States from May 17 to 20 in an effort to accelerate the negotiations.

 

Trump’s claim also follows India’s tough stance on US tariffs on steel and aluminium, signaling New Delhi’s growing assertiveness in trade diplomacy. India had earlier warned of potential retaliatory action if the tariff issues were not resolved.

 

Despite recent tensions, the United States remains India’s largest trading partner. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $129 billion, with India maintaining a trade surplus of $45.7 billion.