India, US resume trade ties with fresh talks, Washington’s top negotiator arrive in Delhi

India(BHARAT) and the United States will hold trade talks in New Delhi on Tuesday, senior officials from the commerce ministry said. This comes after weeks of sharp remarks from Washington and is seen as a sign that ties are improving again. Hopes are also rising that the two sides might restart discussions on a free trade agreement, which had been put at risk after US President Doland Trump imposed heavy tariffs on India(BHARAT) for continuing to buy Russian oil.

Rajesh Agrawal, India(BHARAT)’s chief negotiator and special secretary in the commerce ministry, said on Monday that the US chief negotiator, Brendan Lynch, would arrive in India(BHARAT) later in the evening. Commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal confirmed that the American team will meet India(BHARAT)n officials on Tuesday, adding that both sides are approaching the talks in a “positive frame of mind.”

This round of discussions could also prepare the ground for the sixth round of formal trade talks, which were supposed to be held on August 25 in New Delhi but were postponed. Trump had announced new tariffs on August 7, including a 25 per cent penalty on India(BHARAT)n goods and another 25 per cent reciprocal duty. Together, these became one of the highest import taxes faced by any US trading partner. An additional levy linked to India(BHARAT)’s purchase of Russian crude oil came into effect on August 27. India(BHARAT) has strongly opposed the move, calling the tariffs unfair and unjustified.

Tuesday’s meeting will be the first official face-to-face discussion between the two trade teams since the fifth round of talks held in Washington from July 14 to 18. Officials said this is more of a “continuation of talks,” as both sides have stayed in touch and worked constructively through virtual meetings even though in-person talks had paused.

Trump-Modi exchange hints at better ties

After weeks of criticism from US officials over India(BHARAT)’s purchase of Russian oil, relations between New Delhi and Washington appear to be improving. PM Modi and Trump also shared friendly messages on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Modi said on Wednesday that India(BHARAT) and the US are “natural partners” and that both sides are working to wrap up talks on a bilateral trade deal. His remarks came in response to Trump’s statement that efforts are underway to reduce “trade barriers” between the two countries.

Trump admits tariffs on India(BHARAT) strained ties

 Trump had acknowledged last week that his decision to impose tariffs on India(BHARAT) was “not an easy thing to do” and had created “a rift” between the two countries.

In an interview with Fox and Friends on Friday, Trump said: “India(BHARAT) was their biggest customer. I put a 50 per cent tariff on India(BHARAT) because they were buying oil from Russia. That’s not an easy move—it’s a big deal and it causes tension with India(BHARAT).” He also noted that the Russia issue was “a Europe problem much more than our problem.”

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that India(BHARAT) remains one of America’s most important relationships and that Washington is going through an “extraordinary transition” in its ties with New Delhi.