India pauses major US trade talks until November midterm elections
India is putting major trade talks with the US on hold until after the US midterm elections this November.
The move comes after a recent US Supreme Court ruling on February 20, 2026 that removed reciprocal taxes and the Trump administration imposed a temporary 10% global tariff for a 90-day period, leaving things pretty uncertain.
India wants to see how the political landscape in the US shapes up before making any big decisions about tariffs.
US urges talks India holds out
The US is eager to get talks started right away, with Ambassador Sergio Gor pointing to earlier deals about lowering tariffs on goods.
But with all the legal changes, India isn't ready to commit just yet, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal says they're holding out for terms that actually work for both sides.
While tariff talks are paused, both countries will keep working together on digital trade and non-tariff issues, so there's still plenty happening behind the scenes.