What’s in Store for US-India Trade? Trump Reveals Major Deal Insights!

US-India Trade Deal: A New Chapter

New Delhi: On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that India has proposed a bilateral trade agreement with the United States that would essentially eliminate tariffs on a variety of American products.

During a meeting with business leaders in Doha, Qatar, where he is currently on a state visit, Trump stated, "They are offering us a deal where basically they are willing to literally charge us no tariffs."

However, he did not provide additional specifics regarding the deal.

In a related note, Trump mentioned that he advised Apple CEO Tim Cook to abandon plans for expanding manufacturing in India and instead focus on increasing production in the United States. He remarked, "Apple will be upping its production in the United States."

As part of the ongoing negotiations for the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, representatives from India's Department of Commerce and the US Trade Representative's Office engaged in productive discussions in Washington from April 23-25, aiming to finalize the first phase of the agreement by the fall of 2025.

These discussions followed earlier talks held in March 2025 in New Delhi.

During the Washington meetings, the teams addressed a wide array of topics, including tariff and non-tariff issues, and outlined a pathway to conclude the first phase of the multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement by Fall 2025, focusing on early mutual benefits, as stated by the Commerce Ministry.

While virtual sectoral expert engagements have been productive, in-person meetings are scheduled to commence at the end of May, according to the statement.

These discussions are part of bilateral efforts aligned with the 'Leaders’ Statement of February 2025', aimed at strengthening India-US economic relations and enhancing supply chain integration through the Bilateral Trade Agreement.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington in February, he and Trump discussed the negotiation of the first phase of this mutually beneficial agreement, targeting completion by Fall 2025.

The two leaders committed to enhancing the US-India trade relationship to foster growth that prioritizes fairness, national security, and job creation. They set an ambitious target for bilateral trade, dubbed 'Mission 500', aiming to more than double trade to $500 billion by 2030.