'India coming to the table': Trump aide rakes up Russia oil ahead of trade talks

Ahead of US Assistant Trade Representative Brendan Lynch’s visit to India, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Monday renewed his criticism of New Delhi’s trade practices.

“Indian refiners were in bed with Russian refiners immediately after the invasion... It’s crazy stuff — they profit from unfair trade with us, while American workers lose out. Then they use that money to buy Russian oil, which in turn funds Moscow’s weapons,” Navarro said, adding, “India is coming to the table. On the trade side, they have very high tariffs.”

Lynch will be in New Delhi on Tuesday for talks with Indian officials on an ongoing bilateral trade pact, the Ministry of Commerce said.

The chief negotiator of the US reached today and would hold talks throughout the day on Tuesday, India’s Chief Negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, who is also Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce, told mediapersons.

Agrawal stressed that the negotiations had not stalled, noting that both sides have remained engaged virtually, including at the ministerial level. He clarified that this was not a sixth round of negotiations, but rather discussions aimed at identifying ways to reach an agreement.

The development comes after US President Donald Trump said the two nations were “continuing negotiations to address the trade barriers between the two nations”, while describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “very good friend” and voicing confidence in a “successful conclusion”. Modi reciprocated, calling the US a “natural partner” and expressing optimism that the talks would “unlock the limitless potential of the India-US partnership”.

Govt targets 100 products to reduce imports

In a significant push towards self-reliance, the government is identifying 100 key products to reduce dependence on imports by enhancing domestic manufacturing capacity, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said on Monday. The initiative aims to bolster local industry and curb strategic vulnerabilities arising from reliance on foreign supplies.

Lynch, who serves as chief negotiator for South and Central Asia at the Office of the US Trade Representative, will lead the US delegation in the one-day talks. Negotiations began in March with the aim of finalising the first phase of the deal by November.

Ties hit a low in late August when a planned US delegation visit for the sixth round was abruptly postponed amid rising tensions. Washington had imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports — 25 percent reciprocal duties and an additional 25 per cent linked to India’s purchases of Russian crude oil.

India has resisted US demands to open its politically sensitive agricultural and dairy sectors, citing risks to millions of small farmers. “These are red lines for us,” an official said earlier, stressing the need for balanced concessions.