Washington, October 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
US President Donald Trump has said that India wants to conclude a trade agreement with the United States and indicated that the two countries are close to reaching a deal, while suggesting that the proposed arrangement would differ significantly from previous trade agreements.
Speaking to reporters during an Oval Office interaction alongside Vice President JD Vance, Trump was asked whether Washington and New Delhi were nearing an agreement.
“They want to make a deal. We’re going to make a deal pretty close,” Trump said.
“Yeah, that’s going to be a much different kind of deal than we’ve made,” he added.
The remarks came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was visiting India and holding discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, against the backdrop of ongoing high-level diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
Trump did not elaborate on how the proposed agreement would differ from earlier arrangements. He also did not provide a timeline for concluding negotiations or identify the outstanding issues that remain unresolved.
His comments nevertheless signalled the possibility of progress in talks closely watched by businesses, exporters and investors in both countries.
India and the United States have been negotiating a bilateral trade arrangement aimed at expanding market access and addressing longstanding differences involving tariffs, agricultural products, industrial goods and regulatory barriers.
Under Trump’s second administration, trade negotiations have assumed greater significance as Washington has made tariffs and reciprocal market access central to its economic policy. The administration has argued that trading partners should provide American businesses with greater access to their markets while reducing barriers to US exports.
For India, the negotiations have implications for key export sectors, including pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, textiles, electronics and information technology-related services. American companies, meanwhile, are seeking greater opportunities in India’s expanding consumer market and manufacturing industries.
Trump did not indicate whether negotiators had resolved differences over particular sectors or agreed on tariff reductions. He also announced no new investment commitments, market-access concessions or implementation schedule.
The comments came during an Oval Office event focused primarily on the administration’s efforts to combat fraud involving federal government programmes. Trump and Vance announced new incentives for people reporting suspected misuse of taxpayer funds before discussing broader economic priorities.
Trump also spoke about reducing US trade deficits with major trading partners, including Canada, Mexico and the European Union. He argued that his administration’s trade policies were changing longstanding commercial relationships and said the United States was experiencing strong economic growth while attracting substantial new investment in manufacturing and industrial facilities.
The President presented tariffs and trade negotiations as part of a broader effort to strengthen domestic production and employment.
Although he did not discuss India’s tariffs or bilateral trade balance during the exchange, his remarks placed the proposed agreement within that wider economic strategy.
Both India and the United States regard trade and investment as important pillars of their relationship, alongside defence cooperation, technology partnerships and energy security. Their economic ties span goods and services and include substantial investment and commercial partnerships across technology, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and financial services.
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