Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the signing of a trade agreement with China and hinted that a major trade deal with India could be in the pipeline.
Speaking at a White House event focused on government spending, Trump said, “We just signed a trade deal with China. We’re not going to make deals with everybody. But we’re having some great deals. We have one coming up, maybe with India—a very big one.”
While the President did not disclose details of the China deal, he emphasized its significance, stating that it would open up previously restricted trade channels. “In the China deal, we’re starting to open up China. Things that never really could have happened before,” he noted. Trump added, “We’re going to open up India,” suggesting closer trade engagement between Washington and New Delhi.
Reiterating his administration’s selective approach to trade partnerships, Trump remarked, “We’re not going to make deals with everybody. Some, we’re just going to send them a letter: thank you very much, you are to pay 25, 35, 45 per cent tariffs. That’s the easy way. My people don’t want to do it that way—they want to make more deals than I would.”
The President’s remarks come amid renewed optimism over U.S.-India trade ties. Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, said a deal between the two countries could be expected soon.
“I think we’re in a very, very good place, and you should expect a deal between the United States and India in the not-too-distant future, because I think we found a place that really works for both countries,” Lutnick had said.
While no timeline or specifics were shared by Trump, his comments have fueled speculation of an impending breakthrough in U.S.-India trade relations.
