Washington, D.C., February 7 — U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Greer welcomed President Trump’s announcement of a joint statement outlining a trade framework with India, saying the agreement will dismantle tariff and non‑tariff barriers and open India’s large market to American goods.
In a statement issued after the announcement, Greer said the deal would deliver concrete benefits to U.S. workers, farmers and producers by lowering tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and on a broad set of agricultural products. “President Trump’s dealmaking is unlocking one of the largest economies in the world for American workers and producers,” he said, adding that the arrangement would expand opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs in both countries.
Greer also thanked India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, for his leadership and commitment to achieving fair and balanced trade between the two nations.
The joint statement follows the administration’s release of a framework intended to expand market access, reduce trade barriers, and advance fair and reciprocal trade as part of efforts to strengthen U.S.‑India economic ties. It describes an Interim Agreement on reciprocal, mutually beneficial trade as a key step toward the broader U.S.‑India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations launched by President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2025.
Under the framework, India would eliminate or reduce tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and on a wide range of U.S. food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruits, soybean oil, and wine and spirits.
In reciprocation, the United States would apply an 18 percent tariff on specified Indian‑origin goods under the relevant executive order, covering sectors such as textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, plastics and rubber, organic chemicals, home decor, artisanal products, and certain machinery. The joint statement notes that, subject to successful conclusion of the Interim Agreement, the U.S. would remove reciprocal tariffs on a wide set of items, including generic pharmaceuticals, gems and diamonds, and aircraft parts.
The framework also addresses tariffs imposed on some Indian aircraft and parts under U.S. national security‑related proclamations tied to aluminum, steel and copper. India will receive a preferential tariff rate quota for automotive parts consistent with U.S. national security requirements. The statement adds that, depending on the outcome of a U.S. Section 232 investigation, negotiated outcomes are expected for generic pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients.
Both countries committed to granting each other preferential market access in priority sectors on a sustained basis and to establishing rules of origin so that the benefits flow primarily to the United States and India. The framework further commits the two governments to tackle barriers to digital trade and to create a pathway toward robust, mutually beneficial digital trade rules under the BTA.
This article is based on a syndicated ANI feed and is published as received; the publisher assumes no responsibility for edits or accuracy beyond the original report.
