The three-day meeting, which was to begin in Washington on Monday, was postponed after the US administration recalibrated its tariff regime following a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the sweeping reciprocal duty structure introduced under President Donald Trump.
Also read: Trump working to change US tariff rate to 15%, official says ‘no change of heart’ on President’s plan
Officials said the talks would be rescheduled at a mutually convenient date after both countries assess the implications of the latest developments. The Indian delegation was to be led by chief negotiator Darpan Jain.
New Delhi is also expected to seek legal opinion on the impact of the US court judgment and the subsequent tariff revisions before returning to the negotiating table.
The tariff landscape has shifted rapidly in recent months. On April 2, 2025, the US announced a 26% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods, which was later reduced to 25% in July.
Also read: US Supreme Court rules against Trump’s global tariffs imposed under emergency lawIn August, Washington imposed an additional 25% levy as a penalty for India’s continued purchases of Russian oil, effectively taking the total tariff incidence to 50%.
Earlier this month, however, the two sides agreed on a framework for an interim trade deal. Under that understanding, the US indicated it would reduce the reciprocal tariff on India to 18% and remove the additional 25% punitive levy.
At present, Indian exports to the US are subject to the 25% reciprocal tariff, while the February 6 joint statement on the interim pact proposed lowering it to 18%.