‘Among the first deals’: India-US trade pact soon, says JD Vance; calls PM Narendra Modi ‘tough negotiator’

India may be one of the first countries that could strike a trade deal with the US after Donald Trump announced a 27 per cent tariff on the country, American Vice President JD Vance has said.

In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Vance said “good negotiations” were now on with India on tariffs.

JD Vance, during the interview on Fox News's ‘Special Report’, was asked if India will be the first country to strike a deal with the US.

The Vice President replied that India will certainly be one of the first countries to do so.

“I don't know if it'll be your first deal, I think it would be among the first deals for sure. Pretty soon the President look, we've got negotiations with Japan, with Korea, we've got negotiations going on with some folks in Europe, and obviously we've got a good negotiation going on in India,” Vance said.

PM Narendra Modi ‘tough negotiator’

JD Vance has also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “tough negotiator” and accused New Delhi of taking advantage of America.

“Modi, the Prime Minister, is a tough negotiator, but we're going to rebalance that relationship, and that's why the president is doing what he is doing,” he said.

Accusing India of taking advantage of the US, the Vice President said Donald Trump is not anti-trade.

“He's not anti-trade. He's anti-unfair trade. He's not entirely the kind of trade where foreign competitors take advantage of us, the Indians, let's be honest, they've taken advantage of us for a very long time,” he said.

JD Vance shares glimpse of India-US trade deal

JD Vance also shared what can be called a peek into the possible India-US trade deal.

He said that while Americans have great agricultural products, the Indian market is effectively closed off to US farmers.

“What the President has said is, we just want to rebalance trade. So some of the conversations I've had in India, for example, I think most Americans may not know, may not appreciate this, we have great agricultural products,” Vance said.

“Our farmers are making great things, but the Indian market is effectively closed off to American farmers. So what that means is that it makes American farmers and American consumers more reliant on foreign competitors to grow the food that we eat,” he added.

The Vice President shared that the trade deal will open up India to American farmers, technology and more.

“What our India deal will do, fundamentally, I think, is open up India to American technology. It will open up India to American farmers. It will create more good American jobs. And it's the kind of trade deal that Donald Trump loves,” Vance said.

US President Donald Trump announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs on a number of countries, including India and China, on April 2. However, on April 9, he announced a 90-day suspension of these tariffs until July 9 this year.