The United States and India have agreed on a framework for an Interim Trade Agreement aimed at establishing reciprocal and mutually beneficial market access. Beyond its immediate provisions, the framework reaffirms both governments’ commitment to the broader U.S.–India Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations launched in February 2026 by President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Crucially, the Interim Agreement is positioned not as an end in itself, but as a stepping stone toward deeper economic integration—one that expands market access while embedding trade policy within a wider agenda of supply-chain resilience and strategic economic cooperation.
When the United States and India released their Joint Statement in February 2026, it was framed—predictably—as a breakthrough on trade. Tariffs would fall, market access would expand, and…
