Mon Jul 21 13:15:21 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a news article based on it, written from an Indian perspective:
**Summary:**
The article, originally published in The Hindu on July 21, 2025, reports on comments made by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding trade negotiations. Bessent emphasized the Trump administration’s focus on the *quality* of trade deals over meeting deadlines, particularly the looming August 1st deadline that could trigger steep tariffs. He hinted at possible extensions for productive talks but also suggested higher tariffs could be used to pressure countries into better agreements. He addressed upcoming trade talks with China, highlighting issues beyond trade, such as China’s purchase of sanctioned oil. He also advocated for Europe to follow the U.S. lead on tariffs against Russia. His remarks indicated a prioritizing of American interests over the specific political situations of trade partners like Japan.
**News Article (From an Indian Perspective):**
**Trump Administration Prioritizes “Quality” Over Speed in Trade Deals, Rattling Global Markets**
**New Delhi, July 22, 2025:** U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s remarks on trade negotiations, published by The Hindu yesterday, have sent ripples of uncertainty through global markets, including India. Bessent stated the Trump administration is more concerned with the “quality” of trade deals than adhering to deadlines, notably the August 1st deadline linked to potential tariff hikes.
“We’re not going to rush for the sake of doing deals,” Bessent told CNBC. While holding out the possibility of deadline extensions, he also suggested higher tariffs could be used as leverage.
From New Delhi’s perspective, this stance injects further volatility into the already complex global trade landscape. India, along with other nations, is closely watching the U.S.-China trade dynamics. Bessent’s assertion that upcoming talks with China would extend beyond trade to include issues like Beijing’s purchase of sanctioned oil from Iran and Russia adds another layer of complexity.
“The Chinese unfortunately…are very large purchasers of sanctioned Iranian oil, sanctioned Russian oil,” he said.
The call for Europe to follow the U.S. in imposing secondary tariffs on Russia further underscores Washington’s assertive, and some say unilateral, approach to international trade and diplomacy. Bessent also noted that the Administration was less concerned with the domestic politics of Japan and only with getting a good deal for Americans.
Indian analysts are now assessing the potential impact of these U.S. policies on the Indian economy, particularly on export-oriented sectors and its own trade relationships. The emphasis on “quality” deals over deadlines could mean prolonged uncertainty, requiring Indian businesses to be agile and adaptable in navigating the evolving global trade environment. The Hindu will continue to monitor the developments and provide in-depth analysis of their implications for India.
**Other Notes:**
* I’ve included “The Hindu” in the last line as a sort of “reporting live” type reference.
I hope this is helpful!
First Piper 