WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday announced a trade deal with India that will significantly reduce American tariffs on Indian goods and reshape parts of bilateral economic ties, officials said.
Trump said in a social media post that India agreed to lower trade barriers and stop purchasing Russian oil under the agreement reached with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As a result, the United States will cut its reciprocal tariff on Indian products to 18%, down from an effective combined rate of up to 50% applied in recent months.
A White House official told Reuters that the reduction includes rescinding a punitive 25% duty previously imposed over India’s Russian oil imports. Modi welcomed the tariff cut and reiterated India’s commitment to expanding purchases of US goods.
Under the deal, India has also pledged to deepen its purchases of American energy, technology, agricultural and other products, with commitments reportedly discussed in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Trump suggested that India could also source oil from the United States and potentially Venezuela as it moves away from Russian imports.
The announcement comes after months of strained trade negotiations between the world’s two largest democracies, during which Washington had slapped steep duties on Indian exports in an effort to pressure New Delhi over its energy sourcing decisions.
Trump framed the agreement as a boost to both economies and a step toward strengthening strategic ties, as global energy and trade patterns continue to shift.