New delhi,The United States and India are reportedly on the cusp of finalizing a trade agreement, with an announcement anticipated very soon, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Her remarks on Monday, June 30, 2025, come as both nations race against a critical July 9 deadline, which marks the end of a 90-day pause on U.S. retaliatory tariffs.
Leavitt underscored India’s significance as a “very strategic ally in the Indo-Pacific region” and highlighted the strong personal rapport between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This reaffirmation of the bilateral relationship followed a question about China’s growing influence in the region.
President Trump had previously expressed optimism about securing a trade deal with India, though he acknowledged the ambitious nature of the U.S.’s goal of achieving “full trade barrier dropping” and greater access to the Indian market, calling it “unthinkable” and admitting uncertainty about its full realization. Nevertheless, he indicated that a deal granting the U.S. the “right to go and do trade” in India was in sight.
With the July 9 deadline for tariff escalations rapidly approaching, both sides are working intensely to finalize a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). Reports suggest that negotiations have found closure on many issues, though areas like agriculture and dairy remain challenging for India to concede. Should a deal not be reached by the deadline, a 26% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods could be reimposed.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is currently in the United States to attend the QUAD Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. On Monday, he inaugurated an exhibition at the United Nations focused on “The Human Cost of Terrorism,” aiming to draw global attention to state-sponsored terrorism. The QUAD, a diplomatic partnership comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, is committed to fostering an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
In a further sign of strengthening ties, President Trump recently accepted Prime Minister Modi’s invitation to attend the upcoming QUAD Summit in New Delhi later this year, a detail confirmed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri following a phone conversation between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada.
