Focus Turns to Trump’s Response After EU and India Seal Trade Deal

Brussels/Washington: Attention has turned to how US President Donald Trump will respond after the European Union and India announced a landmark free trade agreement, a pact both sides have described as the “mother of all deals”.

The agreement, confirmed on Tuesday, concludes nearly two decades of negotiations and will see the EU and India gradually cut tariffs on most goods traded between them, with some sensitive sectors excluded. Leaders on both sides said the deal would deepen strategic and economic ties at a time of rising global trade tensions.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the agreement, saying it would strengthen cooperation between two of the world’s largest democracies.

Trump has not commented publicly on the deal so far. However, US officials have previously criticised Europe for advancing trade ties with India while Washington has imposed tariffs on Indian goods, citing concerns including India’s purchases of Russian oil.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said over the weekend that Washington had made “much bigger sacrifices” in its trade approach toward India, while Europe had moved ahead with a comprehensive agreement.

India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday that he expected US-India relations to remain positive and expressed confidence that trade discussions between Washington and New Delhi would continue.

The EU-India deal comes as both sides face higher trade barriers in the United States. The White House imposed tariffs on imports from the EU last year, while duties on Indian goods were raised more sharply.

Analysts say the agreement reflects a broader effort by Brussels and New Delhi to diversify trade relationships amid uncertainty over US trade policy. The two leaders are expected to formally highlight the agreement later on Tuesday at an EU-India summit.

European officials have said the pact will now undergo legal review and ratification before entering into force, with tariff reductions phased in over several years.