The United States of
America (United States) and India are pleased to announce that they have
reached a framework for an Interim Agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually
beneficial trade (Interim Agreement). Today’s framework reaffirms the
countries’ commitment to the broader U.S.-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA)
negotiations, launched by President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Narendra
Modi on February 13, 2025, which will include additional market access
commitments and support more resilient supply chains. The Interim Agreement
between the United States and India will represent a historic milestone in our
countries’ partnership, demonstrating a common commitment to reciprocal and
balanced trade based on mutual interests and concrete outcomes.
Key terms of the
Interim Agreement between the United States and India will include:
- India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on
all U.S. industrial goods and a wide range of U.S. food and agricultural
products, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum for
animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and
spirits, and additional products.
- The United States will apply a reciprocal
tariff rate of 18 percent under Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025
(Regulating Imports With a Reciprocal Tariff to Rectify Trade Practices
That Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade
Deficits), as amended, on originating goods of India, including textile
and apparel, leather and footwear, plastic and rubber, organic chemicals,
home décor, artisanal products, and certain machinery, and, subject to the
successful conclusion of the Interim Agreement, will remove the reciprocal
tariff on a wide range of goods identified in the Potential Tariff
Adjustments for Aligned Partners Annex to Executive Order 14346 of
September 5, 2025 (Modifying the Scope of Reciprocal Tariffs and
Establishing Procedures for Implementing Trade and Security Agreements),
as amended, including generic pharmaceuticals, gems and diamonds, and
aircraft parts.
- The United States will also remove tariffs
on certain aircraft and aircraft parts of India imposed to eliminate
threats to national security found in Proclamation 9704 of March 8, 2018
(Adjusting Imports of Aluminum Into the United States), as amended; Proclamation
9705 of March 8, 2018 (Adjusting Imports of Steel Into the United States),
as amended; and Proclamation 10962 of July 30, 2025 (Adjusting Imports of
Copper Into the United States). Similarly, consistent with U.S.
national security requirements, India will receive a preferential tariff
rate quota for automotive parts subject to the tariff imposed to eliminate
threats to national security found in Proclamation 9888 of May 17, 2019
(Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts Into the United
States), as amended. Contingent on the findings of the U.S. Section
232 investigation of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients, India
will receive negotiated outcomes with respect to generic pharmaceuticals
and ingredients.
- The United States and India commit to
provide each other preferential market access in sectors of respective
interest on a sustained basis.
- The United States and India will establish
rules of origin that ensure that the benefits of the Agreement accrue
predominately to the United States and India.
- The United States and India will address
non-tariff barriers that affect bilateral trade. India agrees to address
long-standing barriers to the trade in U.S. medical devices; eliminate
restrictive import licensing procedures that delay market access for, or
impose quantitative restrictions on, U.S. Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) goods; and determine, with a view towards a positive
outcome, within six months of entry into force of the Agreement whether
U.S.-developed or international standards, including testing requirements,
are acceptable for the purposes of U.S. exports entering the Indian market
in identified sectors. Recognizing the importance of working together to
resolve long-standing concerns, India also agrees to address long-standing
non-tariff barriers to the trade in U.S. food and agricultural products.
- For the purposes of enhancing ease of
compliance with applicable technical regulations, the United States and
India intend to discuss their respective standards and conformity
assessment procedures for mutually agreed sectors.
- In the event of any changes to the agreed
upon tariffs of either country, the United States and India agree that the
other country may modify its commitments.
- The United States and India will work
towards further expanding market access opportunities through the
negotiations of the BTA. The United States affirms that it intends to take
into consideration, during the negotiations of the BTA, India’s request
that the United States continue to work to lower tariffs on Indian goods.
- The United States and India agree to
strengthen economic security alignment to enhance supply chain resilience
and innovation through complementary actions to address non- market
policies of third parties, as well as cooperation on inbound and outbound
investment reviews and export controls.
- India intends to purchase $500 billion of
U.S. energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts, precious metals,
technology products, and coking coal over the next 5 years. India and the
United States will significantly increase trade in technology products,
including Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and other goods used in data
centers, and expand joint technology cooperation.
- The United States and India commit to
address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to
digital trade and to set a clear pathway to achieve robust, ambitious, and
mutually beneficial digital trade rules as part of the BTA.
The United States and
India will promptly implement this framework and work towards finalizing the
Interim Agreement with a view to concluding a mutually beneficial BTA
consistent with the roadmap agreed in the Terms of Reference.