India-US trade deal: On Trump's zero-tariff claim, India says deal not final, relief works both ways, reports CNN-News18

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.

India has countered the latest claims made by US President Donald Trump that it has offered to drop all tariffs, CNN-News18 reported on Thursday. Sources told CNN-News18 that “nothing is final” on the trade issue. They also stated that while India seeks tariff relief, it expects reciprocity. Additionally, the sources said that India has reportedly refused to negotiate on pulses and rice. These comments follow Trump’s recent remarks made at an event in Qatar, where he claimed that India had offered to remove all tariffs during trade talks.

The development comes shortly before Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal crucial visit the United States on May 16. The commerce minister’s upcoming trip follows US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to New Delhi in April last month, aimed at reaching a potential agreement to avoid the imposition of US tariffs.

The zero-tariff is not the only remark the Trump made about India. During a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Trump reportedly told him that he was not in favor of the company manufacturing its products in India. According to a Bloomberg News report from Doha, Trump remarked, “Told Apple CEO Tim Cook we’re not interested in you building in India, they can take care of themselves,” in a clear criticism of Apple’s strategy to expand its supply chain beyond China.

Earlier, on April 7, Trump had paused reciprocal tariffs on key trading partners, excluding China. Since then, Washington has announced renewed trade talks with Beijing. The United States and China have agreed to significantly scale back mutual tariffs for a 90-day period—an arrangement Trump described as a “total reset,” suggesting the possibility of direct talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The deal reportedly addressed most of China’s major concerns and provided a boost to global markets, lifting the US dollar and stock indices. This development came at a crucial time for Trump, as rising inflation in the US remained a key economic concern.