Washington DC, February 7 — With India approving a framework for a bilateral trade agreement with the United States, fresh opportunities have opened up for both countries. Former US Assistant Secretary of Commerce Raymond Vickery told ANI that India has fared better than many by sticking to a logical, deliberate negotiation process instead of yielding to the chaotic approach associated with President Donald Trump.
Vickery noted that India still intends to reach a full agreement, and that the common practice among major trading partners is to work out detailed terms first—a process that often takes more than a year—and then issue a joint statement announcing the pact. He contrasted that with what he described as the Trump style of announcing outcomes before all details are finalized and then attempting to fit the specifics to the headline.
While India has said it hopes to finalize an agreement within a couple of months—a timeline that can be typical for some trade deals—Vickery praised New Delhi’s emphasis on working through details. He cautioned, however, that the US side must also adopt a similarly measured approach if any agreement is to be durable.
Vickery also emphasized the need for coordinated US-India action on Russian oil. He pointed to the White House’s recent decision to lift an additional 25% tariff after India committed to stop importing Russian oil, saying joint measures are important to address the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, he acknowledged that India’s long-standing relationship with Russia will not be set aside overnight.
He warned that it remains uncertain whether the negotiations can be carried out with the kind of logical, deliberate process required to produce agreements that stand the test of time, rather than being driven by transient social-media proclamations.
The US and India said they have reached a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal, mutually beneficial trade. The framework reaffirms commitment to broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations, launched by President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, and envisions further market access commitments and measures to strengthen resilient supply chains. The joint statement described the Interim Agreement as a historic milestone reflecting a shared commitment to balanced trade and concrete outcomes.
