India-US trade talks hinge on Trump-Putin meet amid tariff tensions

Clarity on the American negotiating team's India visit will follow the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, with tariff disputes and unresolved trade issues in focus

A scheduled visit of the United States (US) trade negotiating team later this month to New Delhi to discuss a bilateral trade pact remains uncertain, and officials indicated that clarity is only likely to emerge after Friday’s meeting between American President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss the Ukraine conflict.

 

The American team’s visit to India for holding the sixth round of bilateral trade deal negotiations with India is slated during the week starting August 25. But the status of these planned parleys is in suspense, with Trump ruling out fresh trade talks with India last week, after announcing an additional levy of 25 per cent on Indian imports for oil purchases from Russia from August 27, on top of a 25 per cent tariff already effective since August 7.

 

“Closer to the date, which is the end of the last week of August, you will be able to know how that round will be progressing. We will apprise you,” Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said in a media briefing.

 

So far, there has been no formal communication from the US on the August 25 visit for the next round of trade talks. Barthwal further said that India and the US are fully engaged in the trade negotiations. These discussions are happening at three levels - negotiating teams, ministers and at diplomatic levels. The US and India have announced plans to conclude the first phase of a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by the fall of 2025.