section_path: Trade conflicts by country/Asia/India
section_name: India
paragraph_text: India
  
  In February 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the White House to negotiate tariffs and advance a deal aimed at doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. India's trade-weighted average tariff was 12%, compared to the United States' 2.2%, leading to Trump repeatedly calling the country "tariff king" and a "big abuser" of trade ties. The US was India's largest export market. Analyses projected reciprocal tariff measures would have significant economic impacts to India. Citi Research estimated that India could lose $7 billion annually. An internal Indian analysis estimated that reciprocal tariffs would affect 87% of its total exports to the US, valued at $66 billion. India estimated increases of 6% to 10% in tariffs on items such as pearls, mineral fuels, and machinery and believed its $11 billion worth of pharmaceutical and automotive exports would see the highest impact.
  
  India took several steps to address trade concerns. In February, it reduced tariffs on motorcycles and whiskey, pledged to review additional tariffs, and offered to increase US energy and defense equipment imports. The following month, Reuters reported that India was negotiating with the US and was open to lowering or eliminating tariffs on 55% of its imports from the US, valued at $23 billion, which were currently subject to tariffs ranging from 5% to 30%. India warned the offer was contingent on relief from reciprocal tariffs and said decisions were not final. On April 2, the US applied a 27% "reciprocal tariff" to India.
  
  By April 6, 2025, India signaled that it would negotiate with the United States and would not seek retaliatory tariffs. There on, India continued with its diplomatic approach, securing a meeting with J.D Vance, and on April 17, 2025, announcing that they were "considering removing import tax on US ethane". On April 29, 2025, the US Treasury Secretary stated that " India would be one of the first trade deals we sign," reaffirming Washington 's intent to accelerate a resolution and strengthen bilateral trade.
  
  On May 6, 2025, India proposed a "zero-for-zero" tariff on auto parts as a way to kickstart negotiations with the US, following Trump's claim that "trade talks" with India were a first-order priority, back at the end of April.