‘Trump Administration could offer bilateral deal to India’

Washington, January 20

The Donald Trump Administration is likely to offer a bilateral trade deal to India that could be a “win-win situation” for the two countries, sources said.

Arguing that the President-elect does not believe in multilateral trade deals and is against them, sources said his administration is interested in a bilateral trade deal with India that could be a “win-win situation” for the two countries, the two sources said.

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However, the offer of first such trade deal could go to the United Kingdom, a close ally of America. Once that is finalised, the Trump Administration is expected to engage India on a similar bilateral trade deal offer, they said.

The development comes hours before Trump is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States.

“I think the President’s message on trade has been fairly clear. He is going to fight for American workers and American manufacturing. And that’s going to be the number one thing that guides him going forward,” incoming White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters.

“He (Trump) has talked about bilateral deals, but he’s going to make sure that every deal he cuts, just like he did in business puts American workers and American manufacturing, American services, America first,” he said in response to a question on China.

India did not figure on his remarks on trade-related questions.

“So whether it’s China or any other country, that’s going to be the priority. But with respect to China alone, it’s a huge market place for American workers and small businesses. You look at the commitment that Alibaba made the other day when they met with him, talking about increasing access to small businesses,” Spicer said.

Trump is going to continue to fight whether it’s the Chinese market or other places around the globe for market access, he added.

“But again the guiding principle is always going to be the American worker and American manufacturing,” Spicer said. PTI