India's Strategic Push for Trade Deals

NEW DELHI: In a significant move, India is demonstrating a heightened sense of urgency in finalizing trade agreements with the United States and other nations, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar announced on Friday. This comes as the global economic landscape undergoes transformative changes, particularly under the US administration led by Donald Trump.

The Changing Dynamics of International Trade

Jaishankar highlighted the Trump administration's swift response to India's proposal for a bilateral trade agreement (BTA), aiming to resolve ongoing tariff disputes. With the looming threat of a tariff war between the US and China, the minister emphasized the importance of safeguarding India's economic interests in these negotiations.

A New Era of Trade Negotiations

"Nothing is just about trade anymore. Nothing is purely business. Everything has become personal," Jaishankar remarked, underscoring the complex nature of current international trade discussions. He noted that Indian negotiators are now more ambitious and prepared than ever, actively seeking to expedite discussions with the US, UK, and EU.

"We are trying to, in each case, get the other side to speed it up. This was normally a complaint which was made about us in the past, that we were the guys slowing it down," he added, signaling a shift in India's approach to trade negotiations.