Trade deal soon? US chief negotiator to land in India tonight; talks to begin tomorrow

The US chief negotiator is arriving in India tonight, with fresh rounds of trade talks between the two countries scheduled to begin tomorrow, a government official told ANI on Monday.The visit comes amid signs of a thaw in India-US trade tensions. The earlier exchange of posts on social media between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump has added to the perception of warming ties. Relations had cooled following Washington’s decision to impose an additional 25% tariff on India over its purchases of Russian oil, which had led to talks being put on hold.The US President had earlier referred to the Prime Minister as a “dear friend” and indicated positive developments in the previously stalled trade discussions. “India and the US are close friends,” PM Modi wrote on X. “I am confident our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership. Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest.”At present, the US has imposed a total of 50% tariffs on Indian imports in the country.