Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed enhancing economic ties and a potential trade deal during a phone conversation.
United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the US is 'doing a trade deal with India' as the two sides continue to hold talks on the proposed trade pact.
While both sides have announced the decision to restart talks for a trade deal, government officials said discussions are continuing virtually.
'Even if tariffs are reduced, non-tariff may still remain a challenge.'
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the legal scrubbing of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) text is expected to be completed within 10-12 days, with the final deal anticipated to be signed by December 31.
The comments came a day after US President Donald Trump said that Washington is "very close" to the trade pact with India.
After three consecutive months of heavy selling, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) turned net buyers in the first week of February, infusing more than Rs 8,100 crore in Indian equities, aided by improving risk sentiment, along with a trade deal with the US.
India has completely protected the interests of its agriculture and dairy sector in the India-US trade agreement.
The commerce ministry on Tuesday said the discussions with visiting US Chief Negotiator Brendan Lynch on the proposed bilateral trade agreement were positive and forward looking.
Indian farmers staged a significant protest at the Shambhu border against a proposed India-US trade deal, fearing its detrimental effects on the domestic agricultural sector and demanding its immediate abandonment. They later ended their agitation after assurances from the Haryana Agriculture Minister regarding the release of detained farmers and a meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister.
India anticipates a reduction in the United States' proposed tariffs on Indian goods under the Section 301 investigation, following New Delhi's recent notification to restrict the import of products made with forced labour.
India's computer services exports have risen 30 per cent since the advent of ChatGPT in November 2022, even as overall services exports have plateaued, World Bank's South Asia Chief Economist Franziska Ohnsorge said, terming Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the conclusion of more trade agreements that can trigger a "manufacturing renaissance", as the two big investment opportunities for India in coming years.
'They talked bad about our leaders. They said India was a dead economy. They were not sensitive to the Indian psyche.'
Responding to a question on the trade deal being negotiated between the two countries, Trump said India had taken advantage of US policies for years and charged tremendous tariffs.
India on Thursday signed a free trade agreement, officially dubbed as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), with the UK - its 16th trade pact so far - as the country aims to boost bilateral trade and investments.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged US President Donald Trump to prioritise the safety of Indian seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz during the implementation of Washington's proposed Iran peace deal, as both leaders focused on repairing strained bilateral relations at the G7 summit.
Of Trump's reciprocal tariffs and trade deals
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticizes Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Indo-US trade deal, following Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's statement on not entering agreements under deadlines. Gandhi predicts Modi will yield to Trump's tariff deadline.
Both countries commit to provide each other preferential market access in sectors of respective interest on a sustained basis
US and India will promptly implement this framework and work towards finalising the interim agreement with a view to concluding a mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement.
'The real money in India over the coming period is likely to be made in small-cap stocks rather than in the large-cap benchmark names.'
After the US Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's global tariffs, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being "compromised", saying his "betrayal" in the India-US interim trade deal stood exposed.
India and the UK on Thursday inked a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) that will cut tariffs on British whisky, cars and an array of items, besides boosting bilateral trade by around $34 billion annually.
A recently finalised peace deal between the US and Iran, set to be signed on June 19, is expected to significantly benefit India's economy by boosting exports to West Asia, stabilising the rupee, and easing inflationary pressures, according to exporters and experts.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says relations between India and the US have not lost momentum and are set to strengthen, with hopes for a trade deal soon.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded in early trade, recovering from previous losses, driven by softening crude oil prices and renewed buying interest in blue-chip stocks. Analysts note that the fall in Brent crude below USD 77 has removed significant macro headwinds for India, contributing to market stability.
India and the UK on Tuesday sealed an ambitious free trade deal along with a double contribution convention with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the landmark pacts will catalyse trade, investment, growth and job creation in both the economies. Modi made the announcement on the agreements after a phone conversation with his British counterpart Keir Starmer.
A US trade representative described India as a 'tough nut to crack' during trade agreement negotiations in Washington, highlighting India's protection of its agricultural markets and the ongoing discussions on specific commodities.
US President Donald Trump lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "very tough negotiator" and hinted at a future visit to India during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, where they discussed trade, defence, and the West Asia crisis.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Kolkata for a four-day diplomatic tour to India, marking the first visit by a US secretary of state to the city in 14 years. His itinerary includes meetings with Indian officials, energy talks, and a Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting.
India's decision to reserve its rights to impose retaliatory duties on the US over imposition of tariffs on auto parts is a procedural move under the WTO agreement on safeguards and it will not affect ongoing negotiations on the proposed trade pact between the two countries, an official said. India on Friday proposed imposing retaliatory duties under the WTO (World Trade Organisation) norms against the US over American tariffs on imports of the country's auto parts in the name of safeguard measures.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that a US team is expected to visit India next month for trade talks, following an earlier Indian delegation's visit to Washington, DC, in April to finalise an interim pact and advance negotiations for a broader bilateral trade agreement.
India's exports reached a six-month high, growing by 18 per cent to USD 45.2 billion in May, driven by electronic goods, petroleum products, engineering items, and pharmaceuticals. However, the trade deficit widened to USD 28.21 billion due to a 10 per cent rise in imports, particularly petroleum products and gold, amidst surging crude oil prices.
'It's very important for India to retain its sovereignty. India should not sign any agreement which compromises its sovereignty.'
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, rebounded in early trade after two days of decline, driven by positive global market trends and strong buying in auto stocks. This recovery follows a robust performance in US markets and a rally in Asian markets, particularly Japan's Nikkei, fueled by AI-driven technology optimism. Track Sensex, Nifty on July 1.
New Delhi will substantially reduce tariffs on industrial and agricultural goods while continuing to protect sensitive sectors. Tariffs on some agricultural products that are not traditionally considered sensitive will be brought down to zero, while in the case of relatively sensitive items, duties will be reduced in a graded manner and quotas will be imposed.
'The immediate impact for India will be very minimal as the share of Venezuela in our total overseas production is very low.'
'The contours of the trade deal need to be reworked now.'
Hardik Pandya is reportedly on his way out of Mumbai Indians, with Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals showing interest in a potential trade. Discussions are ongoing, particularly with KKR, where Pandya could secure a captaincy role, unlike with RR.
Trump announced that India and the US agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will charge a reduced reciprocal tariff on Delhi, lowering it from 25 per cent to 18 per cent.
