New Delhi, December 6 — External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent two-day state visit to India will not complicate ongoing India–US trade negotiations, rejecting the idea that any country can dictate New Delhi’s ties with other major powers. Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit 2025, Jaishankar stressed India’s freedom to choose partners and its commitment to strategic autonomy, calling it unreasonable for another country to expect a say in how India develops bilateral relations.
Jaishankar said India will “negotiate hard” in the bilateral trade talks to safeguard the interests of farmers, workers, small businesses and the middle class. He noted the new US administration under President Donald Trump approaches global issues differently from his predecessor and acknowledged that unresolved matters have left parts of the India–US relationship strained. Still, Jaishankar said both sides can engage to find a mutually acceptable outcome on trade while India remains judicious in protecting its core economic interests.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal last month expressed optimism that the first tranche of the India–US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) could be signed within the current calendar year, indicating progress despite shifting global trade conditions. The BTA, formally proposed in February after directions from the leadership of both countries, aims to raise bilateral trade from about USD 191 billion to USD 500 billion by 2030. Talks were first announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington.
Negotiations have continued even after the US imposed tariffs on Indian goods this year — a 25 percent levy introduced on August 1 followed by another 25 percent increase days later, measures Washington linked to India’s continued purchases of Russian oil, bringing some duties to a combined 50 percent. (ANI)
