India-US Trade Deal: MEA Says Factsheet Changes Reflect "Shared Understandings"

Addressing a weekly Media Briefing, MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, when asked about changes made in the White House factsheet on the deal, said that the joint statement on the framework for the interim agreement remains the basis of mutual understanding between the two sides.

"As you are aware, the India-US Joint Statement on the framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade was issued on 7 February 2026. The Joint Statement is the framework and remains the basis of our mutual understanding in the matter. Both sides will now work towards implementing this framework and finalising the Interim Agreement," Jaiswal said.

"The amendments in the US fact sheet reflect the shared understandings contained in the Joint Statement," he added.

The clarification comes amid reports highlighting revisions in the US document, which earlier had contrasted with the statement released by the Indian side.

The White House, in its updated fact sheet released a day after the initial document, softened several key assertions regarding India's commitments on purchases, tariffs, and digital trade.

In the original version of the factsheet, it was stated, "India committed to buy more American products and purchase over USD 500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, agricultural, coal, and other products."

The revised factsheet now states that India "intends" to buy more American products and omits the term "agricultural" from the list of product categories.

Changes were also made in the tariff section.

The earlier document noted, "India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers' grains (DDGs), red sorghum, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, certain pulses, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products."

The updated version removes the reference to "certain pulses" from this list.

On digital trade, the initial factsheet mentioned, "India will remove its digital services taxes" and "committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules that address discriminatory or burdensome practices and other barriers to digital trade."

The current version drops the claim that "India will remove its digital services taxes" and retains only that "India committed to negotiate a robust set of bilateral digital trade rules."

The United States and India announced a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal, mutually beneficial trade, reaffirming their commitment to a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) launched by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025.

As part of the framework, India has agreed to eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US agricultural and food products, including dried distillers' grains (DDGs), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products.

On the other hand, the United States will impose a reciprocal tariff of 18 per cent on goods originating in India, including textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, plastic and rubber products, organic chemicals, home decor, artisanal goods and certain machinery.

- ANI