The post India Rejects US Claim on Trade Deal Delay, Reaffirms Commitment to Mutually Beneficial Pact appeared first on The Edge Media.
]]>Responding to the comments, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India and the United States had committed to negotiating a bilateral trade agreement as early as February 13 last year, following a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump at the White House. Since then, several rounds of negotiations have taken place to arrive at a balanced and fair deal, officials said.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that on multiple occasions the two sides had come close to sealing the agreement, adding that the portrayal of the talks in the reported remarks was not accurate. He emphasised that India remains interested in concluding a trade pact that benefits both sides and expressed hope that discussions would eventually lead to an agreement.
Jaiswal also pointed out that Prime Minister Modi and President Trump spoke over the phone eight times during 2025, covering a wide range of bilateral and global issues. According to people familiar with the negotiations, there was no stage during the past year when a single phone call could have concluded the trade deal.
The latest exchange comes against the backdrop of strained India US relations, which have faced significant challenges in recent months. Negotiations on the trade pact suffered a major setback after the United States imposed a steep 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including an additional 25 per cent duty linked to India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
In his remarks on a podcast, Lutnick said India had been given three deadlines to finalise the deal and suggested that a direct call from Prime Minister Modi to President Trump was necessary to close it. He claimed that after the United States concluded a trade deal with the United Kingdom, India was expected to be next in line but failed to act within the expected timeframe. Lutnick also indicated that the previously negotiated deal with India was no longer under consideration.
At the same media briefing, the MEA spokesperson said India was closely monitoring developments related to a proposed Russia sanctions bill introduced by US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. The bill seeks to impose tariffs of up to 500 per cent on countries purchasing Russian oil, including India and China.
Jaiswal reiterated that India’s approach to energy sourcing is guided by global market conditions and the need to ensure affordable energy for its population of 1.4 billion people.
Commenting on the United States decision to withdraw from several international organisations and UN bodies, including the International Solar Alliance, Jaiswal said India continues to support multilateralism. He noted that the ISA has made substantial progress in promoting solar energy cooperation among its 125 member countries and said India would continue to advance its objectives.
Apart from trade and tariffs, India US relations are also under strain due to differences over other issues, including President Trump’s claims about mediating the India Pakistan conflict last year and Washington’s evolving immigration policies.
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]]>The post Donald Trump Highlights India US Defence Ties, Cites Delay in Apache Helicopter Delivery appeared first on The Edge Media.
]]>Addressing the House GOP Member Retreat, Trump criticised what he described as long standing delays in supplying defence equipment, while presenting India US defence ties as an example of how such issues were being addressed.
Recalling his interaction with the Indian Prime Minister, Trump said India had been waiting for years for the helicopters and that the situation was now being changed. He added that Prime Minister Modi had requested a meeting with him to discuss the matter.
Trump reiterated that he shared a good personal relationship with Prime Minister Modi, but noted that tensions had emerged over tariffs imposed on India. He said Modi was unhappy about the high duties, which he linked to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. According to Trump, those tariffs have since been reduced substantially, while he again pointed to India’s energy trade with Russia as the source of friction.
The tariffs, which Trump said amounted to 50%, were imposed due to India’s large scale imports of Russian crude oil. The United States has argued that such purchases indirectly support Russia’s economy at a time when it is engaged in the conflict with Ukraine.
Trump’s remarks came shortly after he warned that Washington could further increase tariffs on Indian goods if New Delhi failed to address American concerns over Russian oil imports. He suggested that India was aware of his displeasure and had taken steps to ease tensions. Describing Prime Minister Modi as a good man, Trump said it was important for both sides to maintain a positive relationship.
Defending his tariff policy, Trump claimed that the United States was benefiting financially from the measures and asserted that they were an effective tool in shaping trade behaviour. He has repeatedly linked tariff pressure on India to its energy ties with Moscow and has accused New Delhi of strengthening Russia by purchasing discounted oil.
At the same time,, holding discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, although no concrete breakthrough has been announced.
India has previously rejected Trump’s claim that Prime Minister Modi assured him that India would stop buying Russian oil. New Delhi clarified that no such assurance or conversation had taken place, reiterating that its energy decisions are guided by national interest.
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