President Donald Trump said on June 5 that he believes the US and India will reach a trade deal, capping off a four-day stretch of negotiations in New Delhi that both sides described as constructive.
Trump called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “good friend” while expressing confidence in the trajectory of talks. The comments land at a moment when the two countries are simultaneously hammering out an interim pact and a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement, a dual-track process that has been underway since early 2025.
What’s already on the table
A framework agreement adopted in February 2026 already delivered tangible concessions: the main US tariff on Indian goods dropped from 25% to 18%, and a punitive 25% tariff tied to India’s purchases of Russian oil was eliminated entirely.
Trump cited a projected figure of $500 billion in Indian purchases of American goods over the next five years.
