Trump signals progress on India-US trade agreement

Donald Trump said the United States and India are “very close” to a trade deal, adding a fresh signal that the two sides may be nearing agreement on the first phase of a bilateral pact.

The comments, reported from the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, came as Indian media said USTR Jamieson Greer is scheduled to visit New Delhi on June 23-24 for talks with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

Indian officials have been describing the negotiations as advanced for days. The Economic Times reported that Greer’s trip is meant to discuss the interim trade agreement, while The Times of India said the visit would give the deal its final touches.

What Trump said

Trump’s remarks are the clearest public indication yet that the U.S.-India trade talks may be close to a breakthrough. AP also reported that he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G7 summit, adding to the diplomatic backdrop for the discussions.

The reporting does not indicate that a deal has been signed. It points instead to a near-term push toward an interim or first-tranche agreement.

What comes next

The immediate test will be the Greer-Goyal talks in New Delhi. Indian reporting quoted Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal as saying the talks are intended to give the first phase of the deal its final touches, while Goyal said most contentious issues had already been resolved.

Key open questions include whether the June 23-24 meetings produce a formal framework, what tariff and market-access issues remain, and whether either government issues an official statement after the talks.

Why it matters

A bilateral deal could affect tariffs, market access, and trade flows between the world’s two largest democracies. A first-phase agreement would also be a politically meaningful sign of progress in a relationship that has faced repeated trade tensions.

If the talks stall, the negotiations could again be exposed to disputes over tariffs and market access.