Trump’s Trade Team to Visit India Next Week for Tariff Relief Talks
Negotiators from the Trump administration to resume discussions on phased trade deal as New Delhi seeks reduction of 50% duties
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 7th Dec: A team of US negotiators from the Trump administration, led by Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer, is expected to travel to India next week to resume discussions on a long-pending trade agreement, a senior US official said. The official confirmed the visit on condition of anonymity but declined to provide further details about the delegation’s schedule or agenda.
The Modi government has been pushing to finalize a preliminary deal with President Donald Trump’s administration to reduce the 50% tariffs currently imposed on Indian goods—tariffs that have weighed heavily on several labour-intensive export sectors.
Indian Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, speaking at an industry event last week, said both sides were working with urgency. “We are very optimistic and hopeful that we should find some solution this calendar year,” he said. “What needs to come out first is a framework trade deal which is able to address the reciprocal tariffs.”
Washington and New Delhi have been negotiating a multi-stage trade understanding, with the first phase expected to focus on scaling back the retaliatory duties introduced by the Trump administration. The 50% tariff rate includes penalties imposed by the US president in response to India’s purchases of Russian crude oil.
Diplomatic tensions rose earlier this year over India’s energy imports, but the atmosphere has since improved. Trump recently praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to reduce crude imports from Russia, clearing the way for potential tariff relief. Last month, the US president said he would lower duties on Indian goods “at some point” and noted that both sides were getting “pretty close” to a trade agreement.
Negotiators from the two nations have held several rounds of discussions in recent months, with officials in New Delhi expressing cautious optimism that an agreement is within reach. The United States is India’s largest export destination, and the elevated tariff structure has significantly impacted sectors such as textiles, leather, footwear, gems and jewellery—industries that rely heavily on global market access for growth.
With economic stakes high and political dynamics shifting, next week’s visit by the US trade team is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the contours of a potential India–US tariff relief package.
