# Greer Says U.S.-India Trade Deal Is Not Imminent After Leaders’ Call

By Riza Dagoc

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/26280
Published: 2026-10-02T04:00:05.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-02T04:00:05.000Z
Section: Regulation

> Negotiators are still working on an interim agreement, with Russian oil purchases, agricultural protections and tariffs among the sticking points.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said a trade agreement with India is not imminent, as negotiations continue over tariffs, Russian oil purchases and protections for India’s agricultural sector.

“I don’t think there is something imminent,” Greer said Thursday, adding that negotiators had identified the issues still blocking an agreement. He called the recent phone conversation between President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi “very constructive.”

Greer also met with Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal during the Group of 20 trade ministers meeting in Milwaukee. Goyal described their discussions as focused on reaching an interim agreement under the countries’ bilateral trade deal.

Russian oil purchases remain a point of friction for Washington. India is seeking preferential U.S. tariffs for its exports while aiming to protect sensitive parts of its agricultural sector.

The countries’ trade relationship has been strained for more than a year. Last August, the United States imposed a 25% punitive tariff on Indian imports, bringing total duties to 50%. In February, duties were reduced to 18%; Trump said India had agreed to stop buying Russian oil, a claim India did not endorse, and India has maintained that energy security drives its purchases.

Indian exports to the United States currently face a 10% tariff after the U.S. Trade Representative concluded an investigation into acts, policies and practices related to forced labor in 60 countries. Generic pharmaceuticals and smartphones are among Indian exports outside the scope of that duty.