US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said India and the United States were close to reaching a trade agreement, indicating that the proposed deal would be significantly different from previous agreements signed by Washington.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump expressed confidence that negotiations with New Delhi would lead to an agreement, although he did not disclose the remaining issues or provide a timeline for its conclusion.
Trump says India-US trade agreement is close
“They want to make a deal. We’re going to make a deal. Pretty close, yeah,” Trump said in response to a question about the negotiations.
“It’s going to be a much different kind of deal than we’ve done,” the president added.
Trump did not elaborate on how the proposed agreement would differ from previous trade arrangements or whether the two sides had resolved their differences over tariffs and market access.
Rubio’s India visit puts trade ties in focus
The remarks came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited India for discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The talks in Mumbai covered ways to strengthen bilateral relations, with trade, energy, technology, defence and people-to-people ties among the key areas of engagement.
The visit comes amid efforts by both governments to advance economic cooperation and address differences that have complicated negotiations over the bilateral trade agreement.
Rubio has also indicated that the two sides are close to finalising the agreement, with a limited number of issues still to be resolved.
India and US continue negotiations on trade pact
Earlier in October, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited the United States and held discussions with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on trade-related issues.
The two countries announced a framework for an interim trade agreement on February 7, 2026, as part of broader negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement. The framework envisages expanded market access and stronger economic cooperation.
However, changes in US tariff policies and differences over the terms of trade have required further negotiations between the two sides.
Tariffs and market access remain key issues
The proposed agreement is expected to address trade barriers and improve market access for businesses in both countries. Negotiations have involved a range of issues concerning tariffs, goods and broader commercial cooperation.
For India, the outcome could affect exporters across several sectors, including engineering goods, textiles, pharmaceuticals and electronics. US businesses, meanwhile, have sought greater access to India’s consumer market.
Trump’s latest remarks signal continued interest in concluding an agreement, but no final deal or implementation schedule was announced during the Oval Office interaction.
Both governments continue to pursue the trade pact alongside cooperation in defence, technology and energy, areas that remain central to the broader India-US relationship.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS)
India-US trade deal: Trump says agreement is close, will be 'much different'
