India hopes to get trade deal with US by next month: Jaishankar

India hopes to reach a bilateral trade agreement with the US before the ‘pause’ on tariffs ends, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told a French media outlet

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The Minister who is currently in Europe spoke to ‘Le Figaro’ and was asked about the impending tariffs. In response, he mentioned how the US administration imposed reciprocal tariffs on April 2 and then ‘paused’ them. “We had already begun bilateral negotiations for a trade agreement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hosted by US President Donald Trump in February, and they agreed to expand access to each other’s markets. We are hopeful of reaching an agreement before the tariff suspension ends on July 9”, the minister said.

“For over a quarter-century, under five US presidents, India’s ties with the US have continuously strengthened. Structural forces—economic, technological, educational, scientific, strategic, military—are driving this relationship,” he added.

In another interview with ‘Euractiv’, Jaishankar mentioned the trade deal with Europe saying some sticking points still remain.

He said that while Europe has come around to a great extent, India continues to have “deep reservations” about EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the tax that EU imposes on products from jurisdictions where climate policies are not robust.

As for the India-EU relationship, Jaishankar said, “We are interested in a deeper, stronger relationship with the EU and I have good reason to believe that the EU reciprocates.”

Answering another question from Le Figaro about India-France relations, the minister said the two have a very strong economic and strategic, civil and military partnership. “The word “trust” is central to this relationship. For example, in our nuclear policy or strategic posture, we are driven by the will to maintain our national capabilities,” he said.

On India’s stance on the Russia -Ukraine conflict, he said, “We’ve helped both as much as we could. The world wants it to stop.”