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‘Will strengthen Make in India, generate large-scale employment’: PM Modi hails India-US trade deal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to the India-US trade breakthrough, welcoming the finalisation of the framework for an interim trade agreement.

Updated on: Feb 7, 2026, 18:09:49 IST
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday welcomed the finalisation of the framework for an interim trade agreement between India and the United States, describing it as “great news for India and USA” and thanking US President Donald Trump for his “personal commitment to robust ties” between the two countries.

PM Modi welcomed the framework for an interim trade agreement between India and the United States. (REUTERS)

In a statement reacting to the development, Modi said the framework reflects the “growing depth, trust and dynamism” of the India-US partnership and would strengthen the Make in India initiative by opening up new opportunities for farmers, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, startup innovators and fishermen. Follow India-US trade deal live updates

“This framework reflects the growing depth, trust and dynamism of our partnership. It strengthens ‘Make in India’ by opening new opportunities for India’s hardworking farmers, entrepreneurs, MSMEs, StartUp innovators, fishermen and more. It will generate large-scale employment for women and youngsters,” the Prime Minister added on X.

The announcement follows a joint statement issued earlier in the day by India and the United States, in which the two sides formally unveiled the interim framework for the long-awaited trade deal announced earlier this month.

Welcoming the framework, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it would strengthen resilient and trusted supply chains and contribute to global growth, adding, “As India moves forward towards building a Viksit Bharat, we remain committed to building global partnerships that are future-oriented, empower our people and contribute to shared prosperity.”

The interim trade framework marks the culmination of months of negotiations between India and the United States aimed at easing trade frictions and expanding market access on both sides.

The framework announced on Saturday outlines reciprocal tariff reductions and sector-specific market access commitments and is intended to serve as a bridge toward a comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

Trump removes penalty tariffs

Alongside the framework, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order removing the 25% penalty tariff imposed on India. The order links the tariff rollback to what the US administration described as India’s commitments on energy and strategic alignment, reiterating Trump’s claim that India has committed to stop importing Russian oil “directly or indirectly” and to increase purchases of US energy products.

Earlier, when the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about Trump's claim over Russian oil imports, he stressed that ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians remains the government's “supreme priority”.

He said India’s approach is centred on diversification, adding, “Diversifying energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy to ensure this. All of India’s decisions are taken and will be taken with this in mind.”

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