New York, USA: India is among several countries currently in discussions with the United States to avoid steep import tariffs, most of which have been put on hold following an earlier announcement by President Donald Trump.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "tough negotiator" and claimed that India has long taken advantage of the US in trade relations. However, he expressed optimism that India could be among the first nations to finalise a trade agreement to prevent the imposition of retaliatory tariffs.
Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Vance confirmed that "good negotiations" were underway with India regarding tariffs. When asked whether India might be the first country to reach a deal, he responded, "I don't know if it’ll be your first deal, but I think it would be among the first for sure." He added that the US was also negotiating with Japan, South Korea, and several European countries.
On April 2, President Trump announced a sweeping set of reciprocal tariffs targeting several nations, including India and China. However, a week later, on April 9, he suspended these tariffs for 90 days — until July 9 — for all but China and Hong Kong, after around 75 countries approached the US seeking trade agreements. Despite this pause, a 10% baseline tariff introduced on April 2 remains active, along with 25% duties on steel, aluminium, and auto components.
Explaining the administration’s position, Vance stated, "What the President wants is a fairer trade balance. Most Americans may not realise that while our farmers produce world-class agricultural goods, the Indian market is essentially closed to them. That hurts both American farmers and consumers, who end up more dependent on foreign suppliers."
He added that the ongoing negotiations aim to open India’s markets to US agricultural products and technology, create more jobs in America, and deliver the kind of trade deal President Trump supports. "He's not anti-trade; he's anti-unfair trade. And to be honest, the Indians have taken advantage of us for a very long time," Vance remarked.
Trade talks between New Delhi and Washington are currently focused on finalising a bilateral agreement, following discussions between Prime Minister Modi.
