Trump announces U.S.-India tariff and energy deal after Modi talks

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had reached a wide-ranging agreement with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following a phone call, including lowering U.S. tariffs on Indian imports and securing Indian commitments on energy purchases and Russian oil, in what he portrayed as a major advance in bilateral relations. 

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Modi agreed to cut India’s purchases of Russian oil and to boost imports of U.S. energy, technology, agricultural products and other goods worth more than $500 billion. He said Washington would lower its reciprocal tariff on Indian imports from 25% to 18%, while New Delhi would eliminate its tariffs and non-tariff barriers on U.S. products “to zero.” 

“These agreements will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now,” Trump wrote, asserting the pact was reached out of “friendship and respect” for Modi and refl ecting the leaders’ ability to “GET THINGS DONE.” 

There was no immediate confirmation from Indian officials about the details of the announcement. India’s government has previously resisted U.S. pressure to curb oil imports from Russia, even after the United States imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods linked to their energy purchases. 

Trump also said India had agreed to buy “much more” U.S. oil and potentially Venezuelan crude, as part of efforts to shift global energy supplies away from Russia — a central goal of his push to pressure Moscow over its nearly four-year-long war in Ukraine. 

Earlier rounds of trade talks between the United States and India have sought to ease longstanding disputes over tariffs and market access, but negotiations have been complicated by broader geopolitical tensions and tariff spikes.