Trump says India has offered US a trade deal with ‘basically no tariffs’

In a significant statement from Doha on Thursday, US President Donald Trump revealed that India has proposed a trade deal offering “basically zero tariffs” on American goods.“It is very hard to sell in India, and they are offering us a deal where basically they are willing to literally charge us no tariffs,” Trump said during a meeting with business leaders on Thursday.

The move comes as both nations race to secure an agreement before Washington’s 90-day tariff freeze on India exports on July 9.
The development follows Trump’s earlier remarks, when he said tariff talks with India were “going great” and hinted that a final deal could be reached soon.
The US is India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade amounting to $129 billion in 2024. India currently runs a $45.7 billion trade surplus with the US.Last week, Reuters reported that India has proposed reducing its average tariff gap with the US to below 4% from the current 13%. Two Indian officials involved in the negotiations told Reuters that New Delhi has offered to eliminate duties on 60% of tariff lines in the initial phase of the proposed deal.

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On April 2, the US announced steep tariffs on imports from nearly 60 countries, including a 26% duty on Indian exports across key sectors. A temporary pause was announced on April 10 for Indian goods, seen as a goodwill gesture to build negotiating momentum.

High-level talks between New Delhi and Washington have since intensified, with both sides hoping to finalise a deal before the July deadline.

(With Agency Inputs)