A scheduled trip by a U.S. trade delegation to India later this month has been called off, according to reports.
Several rounds of talks on a bilateral trade deal between the U.S. — the world’s largest economy — and India, the world’s most populous nation and itself a major economic power, have so far failed to yield an agreement.
An executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump, issued earlier this month, slapped India with an additional 25 percent tariffs over its Russian oil purchases, bringing the overall tariff on Indian imports into the U.S. to 50 percent. This will come into effect on August 27.
India’s foreign ministry called the move “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable” at the time.
Newsweek has approached the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the U.S. Trade Representative for comment via email sent outside of regular working hours.
U.S. trade negotiators were expected to visit New Delhi between August 25 and 29, and a revised date has not been confirmed, Reuters reported, citing an anonymous source with direct knowledge of the matter. Unnamed sources told Indian broadcaster NDTV Profit that the talks would likely be rescheduled.
India’s external affairs minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, told Newsweek in June he was hopeful for a deal as “very intricate” trade negotiations continued.
This is a breaking story. Updates to follow.
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