{
  "id": 12548464,
  "title": "Why have India-US trade talks stalled again and what’s next?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/why-have-india-us-trade-talks-stalled-again-and-whats-next-12548464",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-07T04:13:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/10/07/why-have-india-us-trade-talks-stalled-again-and-what-s-next"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "India and the United States have been unable to finalize a bilateral trade agreement, with talks stalling again. Both nations previously agreed to a framework in February that reduced punitive tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18%. However, the Supreme Court invalidated the US president's use of emergency powers to impose global tariffs, leading to a 10% baseline rate. Despite this, a final deal remains elusive. Trade talks have reached a plateau, with little room for maneuver, according to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Both sides have met complications in recent months, including a new US law that could impose up to 100% tariffs on Indian goods due to New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil, which has not been significantly reduced. This levy threatens to undermine India's efforts to secure better tariff terms than peer economies like Vietnam and China. Additionally, the US has not completed a Section 301 trade investigation on various nations over alleged excess industrial capacity, leaving uncertainty over the final tariff Indian goods will face. As bilateral ties between India and the US have been strained due to events such as a US military attack on a ship off Oman and India rejecting the Trump administration's claim of brokering a ceasefire with Pakistan, the stakes are high. The US is India's largest export market, and while Indian goods exports to the US have risen to $42.79 billion in April-August from $40.39 billion a year earlier, a trade deal could help prevent higher US tariffs from the ongoing trade investigation and the purchase of Russian oil. India is seeking to protect politically sensitive sectors, particularly agriculture, while securing better tariff treatment for its exporters. The US wants India to reduce its purchases of Russian oil, citing its impact on financing the war in Ukraine. Modi is expected to visit the US in December for a G20 leaders' meet, where further talks on the trade agreement may take place.",
  "summary": "Trade talks have reached a 'plateau' with little room for manoeuvre, India's finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, after US trade representative Jamieson Greer said a deal was not 'imminent'.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Why have India-US trade talks stalled again and what’s next?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/why-have-india-us-trade-talks-stalled-again-and-whats-next",
        "published": "2026-10-07T04:13:15.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}