Several questions remain unanswered regarding the recent tariff reduction agreement between India and the United States. Former US President Donald Trump has claimed that India agreed to lower tariffs and non-tariff barriers, reduce oil imports from Russia, and significantly increase purchases from the US. However, no official confirmation or detailed clarification has been issued by the Indian government so far. Experts believe the arrangement appears to be an interim or mini trade deal, not a full-scale Free Trade Agreement. Agriculture and the dairy sector continue to be India’s red-line areas, where major concessions are highly unlikely. Analysts also argue that given India’s long-standing and strategic relationship with Russia, a complete halt to Russian oil imports is unrealistic. According to trade and foreign policy experts, Trump’s statements may involve exaggeration, and the actual terms of the bilateral trade agreement will only become clear once formal documents and official statements are released by both sides.


