After weeks of tension, India and the United States are set to revive stalled trade negotiations following a breakthrough in ties between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The renewed warmth between the two leaders has paved the way for the resumption of talks, which had earlier been derailed by tariff disputes and disagreements linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil.
Brendan Lynch, the American chief negotiator and Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, will arrive in New Delhi on Monday night, September 15. He is scheduled to meet India’s chief negotiator, Rajesh Agrawal, on Tuesday. Agrawal confirmed Lynch’s visit and said both sides are keen to “fast-track” the discussions, though he offered no details about the agenda.
The visit is being seen as a significant step forward, as trade talks between the two nations were originally planned for late August but were called off amid escalating tensions. Washington had imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports, with the United States arguing that India’s purchase of Russian crude was indirectly financing the Ukraine war.
Under the revised trade measures, the US imposed a 25 percent penalty tariff in early August, followed by another 25 percent on August 27. These tariffs had become a major sticking point, straining relations until Trump and Modi’s latest diplomatic thaw helped reopen the door for talks.
