India-USA to sign a big trade deal? Trump drops hints after China deal

New Delhi (India) June 27: US President Donald Trump has hinted that a "very big" trade deal with India would be coming soon, days after he signed a new deal with China. Trump made substantial advances towards a bilateral trade agreement between the two major economies when he stated that the US was "going to open up India" during his remarks at the White House's "Big Beautiful Bill" event.

He said in his speech hinting at trade deals, “Everybody wants to make a deal and have a part of it. Remember a few months ago, the press was saying, ‘You really have anybody of any interest?’ Well, we just signed with China yesterday. We are having some great deals. We have one coming up, maybe with India. Very big one. Where we're going to open up India, in the China deal, we are starting to open up China. Things that never really could have happened, and the relationship with every country has been very good."

Trump also stated in the speech that the White House will not negotiate with every country.

He said, “We're not going to make deals with everybody. Some we are just going to send them a letter, say thank you very much. You are to pay 25, 35, 45 per cent. That's the easy way to do it, and my people don't want to do it that way. They want to do some of it, but they want to make more deals than I would do."

Trump remained silent on the details of the China arrangement, but a White House official later stated that the deal focused on increasing rare earth supplies from China to the US, a problem that has previously caused supply chain disruptions worldwide.

The agreement seeks to address the delays brought on by China's limitations on important nutrients and magnets, which had a major effect on US technological, automotive and defence industries.

According to an official, the US-China deal was completed earlier this week and will help reduce US export restrictions in return for Chinese shipments that have resumed.

According to sources, the main goals of the four-day negotiations between India and USA over the massive trade agreement were to reduce tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers and to increase market access for both industrial and agricultural products in either nation. Rajesh Agrawal led the Indian team of negotiators from the trade ministry and representatives from the Office of the US Trade Representative led the US mission.

US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick had stated earlier this month that a trade agreement between the US and India might be finalized shortly when he was addressing the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.

Aadrika Tayal