Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director of ORF America speaks to NDTV on the recently announced US–India trade deal. President Donald Trump claimed the agreement will reduce tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18% and linked it to India halting purchases of Russian oil.

The India-EU free trade agreement has surprised global markets and the United States. It shows that middle powers are taking steps to assert their economic and strategic independence.

India is set to lead global economic growth by 2026, surpassing the US, according to IMF data. Elon Musk highlighted this seismic shift, noting India and China will drive over 43% of worldwide expansion.

India, Feb. 3 -- On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that India had agreed to his terms on a trade deal, including halting Russian oil purchases and removing trade barriers, in return for a reduction in tariffs on Indian goods.

India will reduce tariffs on many U.S. industrial and agricultural goods to zero, marking a significant trade deal win.

The absence of any mention of India and the Quad from the strategy is not a judgment on their importance, but a signal that the United States does not intend to organise Asian security through formalised coalitions or extended military guarantees.