India-US Trade Deal: How Jaishankar, Goyal Forced US U-Turn on Tariffs

• India and the US have resolved tariff disputes, with the US reducing duties on Indian goods to 18%.
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal led extensive negotiations, compelling the US to lower its initial 50% tariff.
• The new 18% tariff on Indian goods is lower than those for Pakistan (19%) and China (34%), giving India a competitive edge.
• The US had imposed a 25% reciprocal tariff and an additional 25% penalty for India's oil purchases from Russia, totaling 50%.
• India's Free Trade Agreement with the European Union pressured the US to reconsider its tariffs, fearing loss of market access.

Why It Matters: India's diplomatic and trade efforts led by Jaishankar and Goyal secured a significant tariff reduction from the US.