India and the United States are preparing to restart trade talks that were stopped last month after tariff issues created tension. Both US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have spoken positively about finding a solution soon.
Trump said on TruthSocial that the two countries were working to reduce trade barriers. “I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi. I am sure we will reach a successful conclusion for both of our countries,” he wrote.
Modi also welcomed the talks. “India and the US are close friends and natural partners. I am confident that our trade talks will open new opportunities for both countries,” he said.
Government Confirms Talks
Indian officials confirmed that discussions will start again soon. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said India is already in active talks with the US and is also holding trade discussions with New Zealand and Qatar.
Earlier, India and the US had planned to finish the first phase of a trade deal by September-October. But the US canceled a planned visit of its negotiators to Delhi in August because of concerns about India’s oil trade with Russia.
Tariffs and Hope for Progress
The US recently put a 50% tariff on Indian goods, which pushed India to look for new export markets. Still, Indian officials say the commerce ministry has promised industries that a fair deal with the US is coming soon.
A government source said no new dates have been fixed yet, but the next round of talks will happen shortly.
What’s Next
Both Trump and Modi are sending clear signals that they want to move forward. If the talks restart smoothly, the two sides could soon reach a trade deal that benefits both economies.
Leslie Rajan