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Informist, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025

--Trade secy: Fully engaged with US on trade deal talks 

--Trade secy: US deal talks happening at multiple levels 

--Trade secy: Aim to conclude US trade deal by Sept-Oct  

--Trade secy:US secondary tariff rests on how geopolitics unfold till Aug 27 

--Trade secy:US may not levy extra tariff if geopolitics favourable for India 

--Govt source: Situation very fluid with US, nothing permanent yet 

--Govt source:US additional tariff on India hinges on Trump-Putin meeting Fri 

NEW DELHI – The imposition of the secondary tariffs of 25% by the US hinges on how geopolitical developments unfold until Aug. 27, when the levy is set to come into effect, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said Thursday. If geopolitical developments turn out positive for India, the US may not levy the additional tariffs, Barthwal added. 

Washington has announced secondary tariffs of 25% on India for its import of crude oil from Russia. The tariff levy also depends on the outcome of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin scheduled Friday in Alaska, another government official said. "The situation with the US is very fluid right now, nothing is permanent."

Meanwhile, New Delhi is fully engaged with Washington on the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement, Barthwal said. The discussions for the trade deal are happening at multiple levels – negotiating team, ministerial, diplomatic, and also industry – Barthwal added. 

India and the US, at the last round of negotiations in July in Washington, had agreed to hold the next round in late August, Barthwal said, adding that there has been no communication from the US yet on changing that timeline. Both sides aim to conclude the negotiations for the first tranche of the trade deal by October, Barthwal said. 

The next round of negotiations between India and the US is likely to begin on Aug. 25, just two days before the US' tariffs rise to 50%. Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch is expected to lead a delegation of officials to New Delhi for five-day-long trade deal negotiations.

Indian goods are already subject to 25% reciprocal tariffs in the US. Indian exporters are hopeful that Washington will lower the extra tariffs under the trade deal. 

The US is India's top export destination with a nearly 20% share in India's total shipments. India had exported goods worth $86.51 billion to the US in 2024-25 (Apr-Mar) and had a trade surplus of $40.82 billion.  End 

US$1 = INR 87.55

Reported by Krity Ambey

Edited by Vandana Hingorani

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