Kamal Ghorui
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday described the recently concluded agreement with India as a “historic trade deal” and said it would significantly boost American coal exports.Addressing a press briefing, Trump said, “America is now the number one energy producer in the world… We’re becoming a massive energy exporter. In just the past few months, we’ve made historic trade deals with Japan, Korea, India, and others to increase our coal exports dramatically… The quality of our coal is supposed to be the finest anywhere in the world.”His remarks came days after Washington issued a fact sheet outlining the “path forward” for the newly concluded trade deal with India.The two countries reached an interim trade agreement after nearly a year of negotiations that began in February 2025. The agreement was announced last week following a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump, during which both leaders finalised the framework for the interim pact.Under the agreement, India will benefit from a reduction in US duties to 18% from 50% on a range of exports. These include textiles and garments, leather and footwear, plastic and rubber goods, organic chemicals, home décor products, artisanal items and select machinery categories.India and the US had held multiple rounds of talks in recent months after negotiations stalled when the Trump administration imposed 50% tariffs on imports from India. Of this, a 25% duty was introduced in August, with Washington alleging that India was fueling Russia’s “war machine” in Ukraine through its purchases.
