India says ‘actively involved’ in trade talks with USA, hours after sparring over Russian ties

India has become one of Trump’s top targets as he looks to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his war in Ukraine

India is ‘actively involved’ in discussions for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the United States, with the aim to expand trade and investment and deepen the commercial relationship to promote growth, national security and job creation, MoS for Commerce, Jitin Prasada told Lok Sabha in a written response on August 5.

The response comes hours after India’s sharp statement following US President Trump’s social media post threatening New Delhi with additional tariff over its oil trade with Moscow. President Trump had threatened to raise tariffs on India ‘substantially’ for purchasing Russian oil, accusing New Delhi of allegedly profiting off crude from Moscow amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The Trump administration is yet to elaborate on these additional tariffs.

Negotiations for a trade deal between India and the US were launched in March 2025 with five rounds of talks held so far, the last being in July. Talks for a mini-version of a deal before August 1 seemingly failed as divergences remained, especially on agriculture.

On the steps being taken by the government to safeguard key sectors like agriculture, Prasada said international trade negotiations allow for the inclusion of sensitive, negative, or exclusion lists - categories of goods on which limited or no tariff concessions are granted.

"In addition, in case of surge in imports and injury to the domestic industry, a country is allowed to take recourse to trade remedial measures such as anti-dumping and safeguards on imports within the periods as mutually agreed to by the parties under FTAs," Prasada said on August 5.

Trump on July 30 announced had a 25 percent tariff on India along with an unspecified penalty for purchasing Russian defence equipment and energy supplies.

Responding to the ongoing trade talks with the US, MoS for Agriculture, Ramnath Thakur said the livelihood and interests of farmers and requirements of food security have always been paramount for the government while negotiating agreements with international partners, including the US.