'Think we'll have a deal': Trump on India tariff talks
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump sounded hopeful on ongoing tariff negotiations with India, hinting at a possible agreement between the two countries. "Talks with India on tariffs were coming along great, and he thinks the two countries will reach a deal," Trump was quoted as saying by Reuters. The US and India are working toward securing "early mutual wins" in their bilateral trade agreement (BTA) talks, an Indian government official statement said Tuesday.
Agreement timeline
Goal to finalize BTA components by Fall 2025
The two countries are looking to finalize key parts of their proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) before the September-October deadline. The commerce department said, "During the meetings in Washington, DC (last week), the team had fruitful discussions on wide-ranging subjects covering tariff and non-tariff matters." These included strategies to conclude the first tranche of this mutually beneficial, multi-sector BTA by Fall 2025, including opportunities for early mutual wins.
Engagements
In-person sectoral engagements planned for late May
The commerce department added that although productive sectoral expert-level engagements have been done virtually, in-person sectoral engagements are lined up from late May. The upcoming talks won't be the start of negotiations, as talks have been ongoing. But this is the first official sign that tangible outcomes are in sight before the Fall deadline.