India and the United States have finalised their long-awaited trade deal. While US President Donald Trump and his team presented the agreement as a major win for American farmers and industries, Bloomberg reports that India had sent a strong message to Washington that it would not bow to pressure. The report says India was ready to wait until the end of Trump’s term before fully committing to certain aspects of the deal.
The report focusses on a meeting held in early September 2025 between India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In that meeting, India had made its position clear and refused to give in to pressure, despite higher tariffs on its exports.
The talks had taken place while US officials were stressing trade tensions and presenting the deal as a political victory.
Bloomberg highlighted that India emphasised limits on agricultural and dairy sector concessions, areas considered non-negotiable. Doval had reportedly told Rubio that India would not be pressured by Trump or his top aides. He had said the country was willing to wait until the end of Trump’s presidency, citing its experience in dealing with difficult foreign administrations.
The report also mentions that India asked for a reduction in public criticism from the Trump administration to help normalise relations. Following the meeting, US officials’ public statements became less confrontational. In September, Trump even called Prime Minister Modi on his birthday to convey greetings.
Earlier, Trump’s aides, including Peter Navarro, had criticised India for its policies on the India-Pakistan ceasefire and for continuing oil imports from Russia. They described the moves as a challenge to US interests.
The Bloomberg report drew on information from officials in New Delhi who requested anonymity because the meeting was private. Both India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the US State Department declined to comment on the meeting.
Trump later announced the trade deal on Truth Social, bypassing traditional diplomatic channels. He mentioned that he had spoken to PM Narendra Modi about it. The Indian prime minister too confirmed their discussion but did not comment on the deal publicly.
According to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, both countries have successfully finalised the agreement, which had been under negotiation since February 2025.
