India-US trade deal nears completion, opening a new phase in bilateral ties: Jaishankar

NEw new delhi:  bharat and the United States (US) ar in the last stages of detailing their merchandise deal, which is expected to be completed “very soon,” opening a new phase in bilateral ties, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said on Thursday as he concluded a trip to Washington, days after the two sides announced an agreement to reduce US tariffs on Indian goods.Jaishankar, who was in the US for a critical minerals ministerial meeting and held talks with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on trade and economic cooperation, said the matter is being handled by commerce minister Piyush Goyal and that he did not have details regarding the time frame for the trade deal.Also read:‘No such meeting, no such visit’: India rebuts report on NSA Doval’s visit to US“Concluded a productive and positive visit to the US… The historic India-US trade deal is in the final stages of detailing that will be completed very soon. It opens up a new phase in our bilateral ties, with vast possibilities for the relationship,” Jaishankar said in a social media post.“Our critical mineral cooperation is also advancing rapidly. Expect engagement on strategic issues, defence, and energy in the coming days. Overall, a strong momentum is evident,” he said, pointing to a thaw in bilateral relations after months of unprecedented strain over trade-related issues.In New Delhi, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing that the US side has clarified that the final figure for tariffs on Indian goods is 18%. He referred to statements from both sides after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s phone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Monday and said that the PM noted that Indian products will be exported to the US at the reduced tariff of 18%.“This trade agreement, as we see it, will give a major boost to our exports to the US. It will be a major boost to the labour-intensive industries here in India, creating new job opportunities, growth, and prosperity for our people,” Jaiswal said.People familiar with the matter said the reduced tariff of 18% will be applied once formalities are completed and the two sides give final shape to the deal, which will be the first tranche of a bilateral trade agreement.During his meeting with Bessent, Jaishankar discussed ways to advance the bilateral economic partnership and strategic cooperation, while the talks with Rubio focused on trade, energy, and cooperation in nuclear, defence, critical minerals, and technology. The two sides also agreed on early meetings of various mechanisms to advance shared interests, Jaishankar said on social media.The sources also said it is unlikely that Indian tariffs on US goods will go to zero, and the Indian side has ensured adequate safeguards in sensitive sectors such as agriculture and dairy.Contacts between the two sides, including US Ambassador Sergio Gor’s meetings in New Delhi, point to efforts to stabilise relations across diverse sectors and advance the strategic partnership.