Tue Apr 08 02:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Jaishankar and Rubio Discuss Expediting India-U.S. Trade Deal Amidst New U.S. Tariffs

**NEW DELHI, April 8, 2025** – External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation Monday, their first high-level exchange since President Donald Trump imposed 26% tariffs on all Indian imports. The conversation focused on accelerating negotiations for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) amidst global market turmoil sparked by the new tariffs.

The 26% tariff, implemented in two phases (10% on April 5th and 16% from April 9th), caused significant market drops, with India’s Sensex and Nifty indices each losing over 3%. While India has yet to retaliate, officials are reportedly hoping the BTA will mitigate the impact of the tariffs by reducing tariffs on Indian goods and increasing market access for U.S. products. A Commerce Ministry statement indicated the tariffs are currently under review.

Mr. Jaishankar, confirming the conversation on social media, emphasized the shared desire for a swift conclusion to the BTA negotiations. He also noted that broader geopolitical issues, including the Indo-Pacific, Indian subcontinent, Europe, Middle East/West Asia, and the Caribbean, were discussed. The U.S. State Department had not commented publicly on the conversation by late Monday night.

The call follows a March 28th conversation between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, and precedes planned talks later this month between National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Michael Waltz. President Trump’s announcement also included a threat of further tariffs on China if it doesn’t rescind its own retaliatory tariffs, further fueling global trade war fears. The U.S. Treasury Secretary previously advised countries affected by the tariffs against retaliation, warning of potential escalation.

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