Transactional Model Of Relationship NEW DELHI: The India-US trade deal allows both sides to get the relationship back on to an even keel, but whether it can lead to long-term stability in ties remains open to question.The importance of the agreement, even if conditional, cannot be overstated as it allows India and the US to avert an immediate crisis. India just managed to rid itself of an albatross around its neck that was threatening to smother cooperation with its most important strategic partner even in other areas. However, the estrangement with the US since Donald Trump’s return to the White House has not been about trade alone. There are several other friction points.The first is the India-Pakistan re-hyphenation Trump has brought upon India through his courting of Rawalpindi. It is here US ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who seems to have found a way out of the trade impasse within weeks of arrival, may have an important role to play. Suspense still looms over his dual role as Trump’s special envoy for south Asia and any false move bracketing India with Pakistan, let alone playing sheriff, will be met with resistance.Bilateralism has been the leitmotif of India’s Pakistan policy and, as far as India is concerned, there’s no Nobel Peace Prize for any third party to win.The second concern is related to the US commitment to the Indo-Pacific under Trump, who wants to engage his counterpart Xi Jinping for a “stable peace, fair trade and respectful relations”. Trade differences between India and the US were seen as blocking any forward movement by Quad and a US-India reset must surely clear the ground for a summit meeting. While the US 2026 National Defence Strategy underlines the goal of a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific , it makes no mention of Quad or India.Thirdly, India’s strategic autonomy will likely continue to act as a limiting factor. India will continue to use the same to navigate geopolitical complexities, especially in its relations with the US, Russia and China. India may have, according to Trump, promised to stop buying Russian oil but it will continue to work closely with Moscow in defence and in forums like the SCO and BRICS. India would like Russia to see its energy pivot as a blip caused by market conditions, not as an ebbing of its strategic autonomy.For India, the structural shift in how the US handles the H-1B visa programme remains a major irritant that it hopes Washington will address.Finally, India will also be concerned about the transactional relationship that the US under Trump seeks with India. Many claims made by Trump in his announcement India saying no to Russian oil, agreeing to buy energy and other products worth $500 billion from the US, zero tariff on US products have not yet been confirmed by Indian govt, suggesting there might be a devil in the details. India will hope that some of Trump’s claims are just political signalling, not an ultimatum.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’India-US Trade Deal Removes Competitive Disadvantage’: Former Indian Envoy To WashingtonIndia-US Trade Deal: Trump Says India Won’t Buy Russian Oil; Rahul Gandhi Accuses PM of Selling Out’Symbol Of Negativity’: Goyal Rains Fire On Rahul Gandhi After US-India Trade Deal, Parl RuckusIndia-US Trade Deal: Moscow Contradicts Trump’s Claim On New Delhi ‘Stopping’ Russian Oil Imports’Called Me Yaar, Threw Papers’: TDP MP Tenneti Slams Eight Suspended Lok Sabha MPs’Dairy, Agriculture Protected’: Piyush Goyal Outlines ‘Historic’ US-India Trade Deal, Lauds PM ModiBudget 2026: Defence Expert Flags Committed Liabilities, Calls For Battlefield TransparencyPak Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Admits Terror Rooted In Corruption, Vindicates India In ParliamentGold, Silver Under Pressure After Peaks: Should You Invest And Hold Precious Metals Or Sell Off?India Moves To Secure Chicken’s Neck As Underground Rail Project Targets Strategic Vulnerabilities123Photostories9 nature-inspired baby girl names that mean ‘new beginning’How to make dhaba-style dal makhani at homeThere are only 6 countries whose names begin with the letter ‘U’Archana Puran Singh and Parmeet Sethi’s love story: From a ‘fling’ to three decades of togethernessA look into Yuvika Chaudhary and Prince Narula’s parenthood journeyFrom prehistoric sharks to unusual flowers: What’s inside the world’s largest cave6 common mistakes people make while cooking cauliflower6 luxury electric cars that blend sustainability with opulence‘Love Island’, ‘Love Is Blind’, and more: Reality TV couples who are still together in 2026Diljit Dosanjh makes Indian-style Masala Bread Omelette and we are absolutely loving it123Hot PicksBudget 2026Gold Silver PricesCigarette Prices HikeIndia US TradeIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays February 2026Bank Holidays februaryTop TrendingArtemi PanarinMLB Trade RumorsAyesha CurryKayla NicoleNHL Injury UpdatePuka NacuaRussell WilsonDenver Nuggets vs Detroit PistonsNikola JokicGold Riyadh Players Ranking
NEW DELHI: The India-US trade deal allows both sides to get the relationship back on to an even keel, but whether it can lead to long-term stability in ties remains open to question.The importance of the agreement, even if conditional, cannot be overstated as it allows India and the US to avert an immediate crisis. India just managed to rid itself of an albatross around its neck that was threatening to smother cooperation with its most important strategic partner even in other areas. However, the estrangement with the US since Donald Trump’s return to the White House has not been about trade alone. There are several other friction points.The first is the India-Pakistan re-hyphenation Trump has brought upon India through his courting of Rawalpindi. It is here US ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who seems to have found a way out of the trade impasse within weeks of arrival, may have an important role to play. Suspense still looms over his dual role as Trump’s special envoy for south Asia and any false move bracketing India with Pakistan, let alone playing sheriff, will be met with resistance.Bilateralism has been the leitmotif of India’s Pakistan policy and, as far as India is concerned, there’s no Nobel Peace Prize for any third party to win.The second concern is related to the US commitment to the Indo-Pacific under Trump, who wants to engage his counterpart Xi Jinping for a “stable peace, fair trade and respectful relations”. Trade differences between India and the US were seen as blocking any forward movement by Quad and a US-India reset must surely clear the ground for a summit meeting. While the US 2026 National Defence Strategy underlines the goal of a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific , it makes no mention of Quad or India.Thirdly, India’s strategic autonomy will likely continue to act as a limiting factor. India will continue to use the same to navigate geopolitical complexities, especially in its relations with the US, Russia and China. India may have, according to Trump, promised to stop buying Russian oil but it will continue to work closely with Moscow in defence and in forums like the SCO and BRICS. India would like Russia to see its energy pivot as a blip caused by market conditions, not as an ebbing of its strategic autonomy.For India, the structural shift in how the US handles the H-1B visa programme remains a major irritant that it hopes Washington will address.Finally, India will also be concerned about the transactional relationship that the US under Trump seeks with India. Many claims made by Trump in his announcement India saying no to Russian oil, agreeing to buy energy and other products worth $500 billion from the US, zero tariff on US products have not yet been confirmed by Indian govt, suggesting there might be a devil in the details. India will hope that some of Trump’s claims are just political signalling, not an ultimatum.
