India–US Trade Tensions, Tariffs & Talk: 6 Days. 2 Capitals. $500B Deal?

The clock is ticking. Six high-stakes days. Two power centres. One make-or-break trade deal. As US Vice President JD Vance lands in Delhi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman negotiates from Washington, DC, India and the United States begin what could be the most consequential week of bilateral trade talks in years. With the Trump-era reciprocal tariffs set to expire in just weeks, the pressure is sky-high. The aim? Lock down Phase 1 of a $500 billion trade pact by this fall. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said, “This isn’t just about tariffs — we’re pushing for a comprehensive agreement with our biggest trading partner.” The 6-day sprint includes Vance-Modi meet in Delhi, FM Sitharaman’s talks with US Treasury, India's chief negotiator flying to Washington mid-week and 19 chapters of trade on the table — tariffs, non-tariff barriers, origin rules, customs. This flurry of diplomatic action comes amid rising US-China tensions, making India’s role as a strategic and trade ally more vital than ever.