The trade framework opens opportunities for Indian exporters, safeguards sensitive sectors, and sets the stage for broader cooperation in technology, digital trade, and supply chains
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that the framework is expected to create jobs and MSME exports while keeping staple crops and dairy outside tariff concessions
The interim framework outlines tariff cuts, market access and technology cooperation while protecting sensitive Indian sectors, paving the way for a broader India US trade agreement
The step is part of a wider agreement to ease trade tensions, under which India plans to buy about $500 billion worth of US goods, including energy, aircraft and technology, over the next five years
India and the US have discussed ways to strengthen collaboration in "critical and emerging defence technologies" to meet the evolving requirements at a key meeting hosted here, officials said on Thursday. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) hosted the 24th Indo-US Joint Technical Group Plenary Meeting in New Delhi on February 3 and 4, they said. The meeting was co-chaired by Director General (Production Coordination and Services Interaction), DRDO, Chandrika Kaushik, and Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies, Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, Michael Francis Dodd, the defence ministry here said. The plenary was conducted in line with the vision and policy guidance of the framework for India-US Major Defence Partnership signed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in October 2025, officials said. "The delegations reviewed the ongoing cooperation in defence science and technology
India and the United States are set to sign the first tranche of a formal trade agreement by mid-March, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said, following a joint statement expected shortly
India and the US are expected to finalise and sign a joint statement on the first tranche of the bilateral trade agreement in 4-5 days, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. After the joint statement is signed, the US will come out with an executive order on reducing tariffs on India to 18 per cent. At present, Indian goods attract a 25 per cent reciprocal tariff and a 25 per cent additional tariff for buying Russian crude oil. Goyal told reporters that a legal agreement for the first tranche of the pact is expected to be signed by mid-March. The joint statement will be followed by an exhaustive legal agreement, he said. Goyal also said that there is no investment commitment in this pact. Once the statement is signed, it will be converted into a legal agreement and mid-March, "We are hopeful of signing that legal agreement," Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said. The signing of the legal text will lead to a cut in tariffs by India on certain US goods.
India's ambition to maintain high economic growth is closely linked to long-term energy security, Consul General D C Manjunath said, underlining the importance of dialogue and cooperation with the US industry to ensure reliable and affordable energy supplies, while advancing cleaner technologies and innovation. The Consulate General of India (CGI) in Houston on February 4 convened a high-level USIndia Energy Roundtable on the Global Energy Outlook 2026 at its office here, in partnership with the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). The closed-door meeting brought together over 30 senior executives from global energy, engineering, and technology firms, including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Honeywell, GAIL, Larsen & Toubro, Weatherford, LanzaTech, S&P Global, McKinsey, and the Society of Petroleum Engineers. The Consulate General of India said the roundtable was part of its ongoing effort to provide a platform for dialogue between policymakers and industry leaders on shared ..
India's national security adviser told US officials New Delhi would wait out Trump's term, even as it quietly worked to ease tensions and restart trade talks after months of tariffs and public insults
EAM S Jaishankar meets top US leaders in Washington as India and the US welcome a new trade deal and push cooperation on critical minerals, energy and supply chains
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday questioned the manner in which the Indo-US trade deal was announced at a time Parliament was in session, and asked whether India had compromised in any manner under US "pressure". He also asked whether India has agreed to zero tariffs on American imports, as claimed by US President Donald Trump. In a post on X, he also asked whether the country's farmers were secure and whether India has opened the agriculture sector for the US agriculture market. He said India and the United States enjoy a comprehensive global strategic partnership driven by shared values since several years now. "The Indo-US Nuclear Deal signed under former PM, Dr Manmohan Singh was a prime example of our commitment to mutual progress. The Congress-UPA government was transparent in its approach in regularly taking Parliament into confidence while inking the various agreements of the landmark deal. "Contrast this with the present scenario, where the nation does n
Ex-US Marine intel officer Newsham said that Gor had a lot of vested power, and chose to come to India because he likes the country
Donald Trump's claim that India will buy $500 billion of US goods under a new trade deal dwarfs current trade flows and follows a familiar pattern from his earlier negotiations
With the US agreeing to cut tariffs on Indian goods to 18%, industry expects India's textile and apparel exports to gain a competitive edge and post double-digit monthly growth from FY27
India and the US have entered a new phase in their relationship, marked by greater parity
Addressing a press conference, Goyal said India secured more favourable terms than several comparable countries that have entered into trade arrangements with the United States
The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) on Monday enthusiastically welcomes US President Donald Trump's announcement following his conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which reaffirms their shared commitment to deepen the USIndia economic partnership and advance a bilateral trade agreement. India and the US agreed on a trade deal under which Washington will bring down the reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the current 25 per cent, US President Donald Trump announced on Monday in a Truth Social post. USISPF said that the reduction of India's reciprocal tariff marks "an important and positive first step." "While the agreement's specifics are pending, today's announcement signals strong political will on both sides to move toward a comprehensive USIndia Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) that addresses tariffs, market access, non-tariff barriers, and other trade-related issues across a wide range of sectors," it said. A BTA between the two nations
The announcement came after a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump
Trade deal's finalisation comes just a day after Budget, which offered fresh support for exporters and sectors including rare earths, reinforcing early signs of improving investor confidence
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said the India-US trade agreement is a win-win deal which will benefit citizens and industries of both countries. Vaishnaw's remarks came soon after US President Donald Trump spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announced that India and the US have agreed on a trade deal. Under the agreed deal, Washington will bring down the reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the current 25 per cent. Trump said India will move forward to reduce "tariffs and non-tariff barriers" against the US to zero, adding New Delhi would buy American goods, including energy, worth more than USD 500 billion. In a post on X, Vaishnaw, the Union minister for information and broadcasting, said, "Trade deal between the US and India will lead to a brighter future for both countries." "India-US trade deal is a win-win deal. Citizens and industries of both countries will benefit greatly from this deal," he said. Terming the US and India as the world's ..