India-US Trade Talks: India Has Done Its Part; Ball Now in US Court

New Delhi: India has completed its proposals in the ongoing trade negotiations with the United States, and the responsibility to move the deal forward now rests with Washington. Senior government officials on Wednesday clarified that while public statements from members of the US administration should be viewed in context, the substantive details of the negotiations are known only to the US Trade Representative (USTR) and their team.

A senior official stated, “India has done what it needed to do. Any public remarks from other US officials should be seen in this context. Now, the ball is in the US court.”

Officials also highlighted that discussions with the US continued even while India was in the final stages of negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU), demonstrating that India is working on multiple trade fronts simultaneously.

Continuous Engagement with the US
“One should note that both sides have been in contact even during EU negotiations,” an official said. India remains focused on “finalizing the US trade deal.”

Regarding the India-EU FTA, officials clarified that the timeline reflects the maturity of the EU negotiations and is not a reaction to developments in the US talks. A top government negotiator explained, “It was prudent to expedite the EU agreement, as these talks began much earlier than the US FTA negotiations.”

Officials emphasized that progress with the EU is independent of developments with the US, and each negotiation has its own strategic rationale.

Historic India-EU Agreement Achieved
On Tuesday, India and the EU concluded long-pending FTA negotiations—a landmark achievement in India’s trade diplomacy. The agreement includes phased tariff reductions on select industrial goods, automobiles, and premium consumer items from India, in exchange for EU tariff concessions on labor-intensive Indian exports such as textiles, apparel, leather goods, and engineering products, which are crucial for employment generation.

The FTA also covers services, government procurement, intellectual property, digital trade, and sustainable development, while preserving policy flexibility for domestic priorities.

Speeding Up the Talks
Officials noted that global trade volatility accelerated the pace of negotiations with the EU. Concerns over trade weaponization and vulnerabilities in the global supply chain prompted decisive action. A senior official said, “The decision to move ahead decisively with the EU agreement was taken as early as February last year.”

The agreement marks a significant step for India, boosting trade with the EU while strengthening global supply chain resilience and ensuring economic security. India has completed all its necessary steps; now it awaits a response from the US to advance its own trade deal.