India's Dual Trade Strategy: EU FTA vs. US Interim Framework - Key Differences Revealed

• India is pursuing distinct trade strategies with the EU and US: a comprehensive FTA with the EU and an interim framework with the US.
• The EU deal is a full Free Trade Agreement with detailed tariff schedules, service commitments, and dispute settlement mechanisms.
• The US agreement is an interim trade framework prioritizing speed and flexibility, relying on executive orders and future negotiations.
• EU deal aims for significant tariff reductions on labor-intensive Indian exports; US deal features a reciprocal 18% tariff rate with conditional relief.
• EU emphasizes compliance with standards and sustainability, while the US focuses on addressing specific barriers like medical device pricing and ICT import licensing.