India seeks trade deal with US better than Asian rivals

India is pressing for a trade pact with the United States that gives its exporters an edge over Asian rivals, not just access to the American market. With U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer due in New Delhi for two days of talks on June 23-24, Indian officials are trying to secure terms that would improve pricing, preserve competitiveness and avoid fresh tariff shocks.

The talks come after the first meeting in more than a year between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump on June 17 at the G7 summit in France. That encounter gave the negotiations political momentum, but the economic goal in New Delhi is sharper: win preferential treatment before Washington announces new Section 301 tariffs later this month, and make sure India comes out ahead of other Asian exporters competing for the same U.S. demand.

Indian officials want assurances that no additional tariffs will be imposed after a bilateral deal is concluded. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has said the negotiations have taken longer because Indian goods face a 50% tariff, a level that has made the difference between merely restoring normal trade and actually improving India’s position in the export race. One framework under discussion could lower U.S. tariffs on India to 18% from 50%, a shift that would change the calculus for price-sensitive manufacturers and U.S. buyers.

The competitive stakes are clear. India is not seeking a generic agreement that leaves it on equal footing with regional peers. It wants better terms than those offered to other Asian economies, particularly as Washington prepares new tariff moves and global growth remains uneven. Labor-intensive sectors that depend on U.S. demand stand to gain most if India secures preferential new tariffs, because even a modest tariff gap can redirect orders, alter sourcing decisions and push buyers to shift supply chains toward lower-cost Indian suppliers.

The White House said in February that the United States and India had announced a trade deal that would open India’s market of more than 1.4 billion people to American products. Now the balance has shifted toward what India gets in return. If Greer’s visit produces a tariff structure more favorable than the one faced by rival Asian exporters, New Delhi could turn a long-delayed trade deal into a broader reset in trade, investment and strategic ties.