Expect US-India trade deal in not-too-distant future: US commerce secy

US Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, has said a trade deal between India and the US can be expected in the “not-too-distant future”, as the two countries have found a place that works for them.

Speaking at an event on Monday (June 20), Lutnick said he is confident that a trade agreement between the two countries will soon be made. He stated that the groundwork for a long-term economic partnership had already been established, adding that “we are working very hard to make this happen”.

Lutnick “very optimistic”

“So, the idea is when they put the right person and India put the right person on the other side of the table, and we’ve managed, I think, to be in a very, very good place,” Lutnick said in his keynote address at the eighth edition of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Leadership Summit in Washington.

“And you should expect a deal between the United States and India in the not-too-distant future because I think we found a place that really works for both countries…I would say very optimistic,” Lutnick said about the trade deal between India and the US.

Also read: India firm on dairy and grain tariffs despite US trade deal push: Report

“It’s not stressful”

Noting the high tariffs that India has, Lutnick said that President Donald Trump is willing to call that out straight away. “Now, the President is willing to call out things straight away, meaning India is very protectionist with tariffs. They have a 100 per cent tariff on this, and a 100 per cent tariff on that. And if you ask them why, the answer is, ‘I don’t know why. It just is’.”

Lutnick said the idea of really looking at those things, thinking about them and bringing them down to a level that is reasonable and appropriate “so we can be great trading partners with each other, I think is absolutely on the table and it’s not stressful” and the sides are now working to “make this a proper trading relationship.”

The rider

On the trade deal with India, he further said that “earlier countries get a better deal. That’s the way it is.” He noted that India is trying hard to be one of the earlier countries, “which I appreciate. But these kinds of deals used to take two or three years, and we’re trying to get them done in a month, which is, just not the ordinary DNA of trading relationships between countries”, he said.

“But what I hope to achieve is we would like market access. We would like our businesses to have reasonable access to the markets of India. Now, it’s not going to be everything, and it’s not going to be everywhere, but we want to have the trade deficit reduced,” he said.

In exchange for that, Lutnick said India is going to want certain key markets, to want to make sure that they have special access to the American marketplace. “And so that’s the trade-off. If I say, ‘Look, I'll treat you incredibly kindly on the things that are really important to you, and you bring down your tariffs and give us market access and let's find the proper place in the middle’.”

Also read: Why India must not appease Trump admin with cheap chicken, meat imports

What’s common to Trump and Modi

Underlining the importance of having the right person on the other side for negotiations, Lutnick said, “If they put a normal trade minister, it’s an endless set of talking and no outcome because they’re used to saying, ‘this kind of deal would take three years, we’ll get this done in two years’, and that’s not really fun for me.”

On what he sees as the vision of the India-US relationship, Lutnick said that it is “unusual” that President Donald Trump is the only person in the administration elected by the full United States of America and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is elected by the people in India.

“If you think about the world, how many other leaders actually are elected by their country,” he said, adding that it is “very, very rare”. “So that connection is pretty unique because it’s rare… And so, their relationship is very strong and very positive. And so that gives an easy path to me to do trade negotiations, because we start from a very positive place.”

What rubs US the wrong way

Lutnick, however, said there were certain things India did, like buying military gear from Russia that “rubbed the United States the wrong way” but the Indian government is addressing such issues “specifically and directly.”

“The Indian economy is extraordinary, your human capital capacity is amazing, your growth rate is amazing. But, you know, there were certain things that the Indian government did that generally rubbed the United States the wrong way,” Lutnick said.

“For instance, you generally buy your military gear from Russia. That’s a way to kind of get…under the skin of America, if you go to buy your armaments from Russia. So, I think India is starting to move towards buying the military equipment from the United States, which then goes a long way,” he said.

Also read: Trump takes credit for Indo-Pak ceasefire again, blasted by his ex-NSA

BRICS and the dollar

Lutnick also cited the example of India being a part of the BRICS grouping (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). “…being a part of BRICS, which is, ‘oh, let’s move to not support the dollar and dollar hegemony’. That’s not really the way to make friends and influence people in America,” he said on BRICS seeking to create its own currency.

India has reaffirmed its engagement with BRICS while making it clear that it is not part of any initiative to undermine the US dollar.

“So, you know, the President calls that out directly and specifically and the Indian government is addressing it specifically and directly and that’s how you move on to a really positive place — put it on the table, address it straight on, resolve it straight on, and get to a really good place. And I think that’s where we are,” Lutnick said.

Goyal’s statement

The proposed agreement comes at a critical time. Both the US and India are looking for stable, mutually beneficial trade agreements amid growing protectionist policies and global economic realignments. India’s strategic location and economic growth make it an essential partner for the United States, according to Lutnick.

Also read: India, US desire to give preferential market access to businesses: Goyal

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has stated that negotiations are in progress to grant both nations preferential market access. The main topics of discussion have been lowering tariffs, resolving regulatory issues, and safeguarding delicate industries like manufacturing and agriculture.

“Mission 500” goal

Following the US announcement of a proposed reciprocal tariff of 26 per cent on Indian goods that would go into effect on July 9, tensions momentarily increased. However, officials have clarified that the intent is not confrontation but calibration. India is now seeking full exemption from these tariffs as part of the broader agreement.

The trade agreement is also linked to the “Mission 500” goal, which was co-envisioned by US President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and aims to increase bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030.

If the deal is successful, it will be a significant turning point in US-Indian relations and pave the way for increased collaboration in the fields of technology, defence, pharmaceuticals, and digital commerce. Both governments seem determined to complete the agreement by the end of 2025 as talks heat up.

(With agency inputs)