President Donald Trump on Friday stated that the U.S. is seeking the removal of full trade barriers with India, just a day after hinting at a “very big” trade deal between the two countries.
Speaking at a press conference at the White House, Trump criticized India’s trade environment, calling it highly restrictive. “India—I think we are going to reach a deal where we have the right to go and do trade. Right now, it's restricted. You can’t walk in there. You can’t even think about it,” he said.
The U.S. president added, “We’re looking to get a full trade barrier dropping, which is unthinkable. I am not sure that that is going to happen. But, as of this moment, we agree to go to India and trade…”
Trump also revealed plans to send letters to various countries within the next week and a half, informing them of updated U.S. tariff rates. He clarified that his previously mentioned July 9 deadline for trade decisions was flexible. “We can do whatever we want. We could extend it. We could make it shorter. I'd like to make it shorter. I'd like to just send letters out to everybody: Congratulations, you're paying 25%,” he said.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed the possibility of an extended timeline, suggesting that agreements could be finalized by the Labor Day holiday on September 1.
Meanwhile, trade discussions are gaining momentum. On Thursday, the U.S. extended a new trade proposal to the European Union, and India sent a delegation to Washington to accelerate ongoing negotiations.
India is reportedly seeking a rollback of the proposed 26% reciprocal tariff imposed by the U.S. on April 2, which is set to take effect on July 9. Sources told Reuters that India has offered tariff cuts on almonds, pistachios, and walnuts, and is open to granting preferential access to U.S. exports in sectors such as energy, automobiles, and defense.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)