Trump Says US-India Tariff Deal "Very Close"

US President Donald Trump on Thursday stated that the United States is "very close" to finalizing a tariff deal with India, just hours after he hinted that another trade agreement might be on the horizon. Over the past two days, Trump has repeatedly suggested that a deal with New Delhi could be finalized soon, possibly before the August 1 deadline for reciprocal tariffs. In an interview with Real America's Voice, Trump expressed optimism about the negotiations, emphasizing that a deal with India is nearing completion.

Currently, a delegation from India’s Ministry of Commerce is in Washington, engaging in another round of talks to secure a bilateral trade agreement. These negotiations, which began earlier in the week, are expected to conclude by July 17. Trump’s comments follow the recent announcement of a successful trade agreement with Indonesia, where the US reduced tariffs from 32 percent to 19 percent. He indicated that a similar outcome could be expected with India and a few other nations, noting that the Indonesian president had opened the country to trade in a "terrific deal" with the US.

However, India has been cautious in its approach. Earlier this month, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal clarified that India does not pursue trade agreements based on external deadlines. He reiterated that any agreement with the US will only be accepted if it is properly negotiated, finalized, and aligns with India’s national interests.

The urgency stems from the looming August 1 deadline. If no agreement is reached by then, Indian exports to the US could face an additional 16 percent reciprocal levy, on top of an existing 10 percent tariff already imposed. The outcome of these ongoing discussions could have significant implications for trade relations between the two countries.