Top U.S. Trade โNegotiator Heads to India Amid Warming Ties with Trump Governance
New โDelhi -โค The chief U.S. negotiator for โขtrade talks with India is en route to New โDelhi,signaling a potential resumption of discussions following a recent โthaw in relations between former President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. โThe visit comes as both nations navigate complex โคgeopolitical shifts and ongoing trade disputes.
The move follows a period of strained trade relations,marked by U.S.tariffs on certain โIndian goods. These tariffs were initially imposed citing concerns over trade imbalances and, more โขrecently, the slow pace of negotiations for an โขinterim trade deal. In August, India’s exports to the U.S. fell toโ $6.86โฃ billion โคfrom $8.01 billion in July,with the full impact of the higherโข tariffsโ expected โto be clearerโข in theโค coming month.
Negotiations, which began in march-April, have stalled over key โคsticking points, particularly U.S. demands for greater access to India’s agricultural and dairy sectors. Prime Minister Modi has publicly stated his commitment to protecting the interests of Indian farmers, establishing aโข clear โ”red line” in the talks.โ The original goal of finalizing a pact by September has shifted, with a new โฃtarget of completing a first stage of the agreement by October-November.
The changeโฃ in tone from the U.S. comes after an apparent rapport developed between Trump and Modi on social media. Trump has sinceโ downplayed the Russia-Ukraine war asโ “more of a Europeโ problem” and urged the European Union to impose tariffs on China, while his administration officials have offered mixed signals.
Simultaneously, the U.S. โคis engaged in renewed trade talks with China,currently underway in Madrid,Spain. Key issues on the agenda โฃinclude potential โtariffs โคon Chinese goods and the future of TikTok,โข with the U.S. seeking a sale to a non-Chinese owner or a potential ban by September 17.
