{
  "id": 12236371,
  "title": "India-US trade deal talks stall over scope for further concessions",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/india-us-trade-deal-talks-stall-over-scope-for-further-concessions",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-05T21:29:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Qatar Tribune Business",
    "slug": "qatar-tribune-business",
    "url": "https://www.qatar-tribune.com/article/257728/business/india-us-trade-deal-talks-stall-over-scope-for-further-concessions"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Trade deal negotiations between India and the United States have hit a standstill, according to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, indicating that additional concessions may prove difficult to secure. The setback is a significant development in the ongoing efforts to finalize a bilateral agreement that both nations have pursued since February 2025, with the goal of bolstering economic ties and addressing challenging market access concerns. Sitharaman stated that both sides have reached a point beyond which further give and take would be \"very, very difficult\" for them, citing limited room for maneuvering.\n\nThe Finance Minister made the remarks during an event in India's capital, emphasizing that the negotiations are still ongoing, but the scope for a final compromise has narrowed due to recent circumstances. A key factor hindering the progress of the deal is the recent signing into law by US President Donald Trump of a congressional bill that grants him the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries that import substantial amounts of Russian oil, including India and China.\n\nAs the world's third-largest oil importer, India relies heavily on Russian oil, which has been a crucial component of its energy policy since Moscow began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Maintaining oil imports from Russia could help alleviate fuel price hikes and ease the burden on government finances, but it may also jeopardize India's exports to the US, its largest market. Prime Minister Narendra Modi finds himself in a precarious position, trying to balance the need to protect domestic industries with the desire to maintain strong economic ties with the US.\n\nThe US Trade Representative, Jamie Jamieson Greer, recently stated that a final trade agreement was not imminent, following a meeting between US Trade Representative Jamie Jamieson Greer and India's Trade Minister Piyush Goyal in the United States. Sitharaman highlighted that the balance of trade is currently in India's favor, and it is the US that stands to benefit from reducing the imbalance. Despite this, the US has been pushing for additional concessions from India, while India has been holding out for a more favorable deal. Ajay Srivastava, founder of New Delhi-based think tank Global Trade Research Initiative and a former trade official, recently criticized India for giving away too many concessions while the US trade deal remains unfinished.",
  "summary": "AgenciesTrade deal talks between India and the United States have reached a plateau and further concessions might be difficult, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday,...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}