The government on Thursday said revisions made by the United States to its trade deal factsheet bring the document in line with the shared understanding reached earlier this month on an interim trade agreement. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stressed that the India-US Joint Statement issued on 7 February 2026 remains the foundation of the agreement.
“The Joint Statement is the framework and remains the basis of our mutual understanding in the matter,” the MEA said.
“India and the US had agreed to a joint statement on the framework for an Interim Agreement on the reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. This was issued on 7th February 2026. The joint statement is the framework and remains the basis of our mutual understanding in this matter. Both sides will now work towards implementing this framework and finalising the interim agreement. The amendments in the US factsheet reflect the shared understandings contained in the joint statement,” MEA added.
The clarification came after the White House quietly amended its factsheet a day after releasing it. The original version stated that India “commits” to purchasing more than USD 500 billion worth of American goods, including energy, technology and other products, over a specified period.
In the revised version, that language was softened. It now says India “intends to buy” more US goods, bringing the wording in line with the 7 February joint statement.
Another significant change was the removal of references to “certain pulses” from the list of US agricultural products on which India would reduce or eliminate tariffs. The sector is politically sensitive in India, making the omission notable.
The updated document also dropped earlier language stating that India would remove its digital services taxes. Instead, it now says India has committed to negotiating bilateral digital trade rules, indicating that discussions on this aspect are still underway.
India had already scrapped its 6 per cent equalisation levy on digital advertising services, effective from 1 April 2025.
On tariffs, the framework provides for reciprocal reductions. The United States has agreed to lower duties on Indian goods to around 18 per cent from previous higher levels. In return, India will reduce or eliminate tariffs on US industrial goods and a wide range of American food and agricultural products — excluding the now-omitted pulses.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the revised factsheet reflects the understandings contained in the joint statement.
“The fact sheet highlights the joint statement, which is the basis of the framework established between New Delhi and Washington for a bilateral trade deal,” he said.
The White House had first released the factsheet on 9 February, days after the two countries issued what they described as a “historic” joint statement outlining the contours of an interim agreement. The document was revised on 10 February.
The trade breakthrough followed months of negotiations amid tensions triggered by tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on Indian goods.
The agreement was first signalled by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and later confirmed by President Trump on Truth Social. The detailed joint statement issued on 7 February set out the framework for an interim deal, which will precede a broader bilateral trade agreement.
Officials from both sides are aiming to finalise the interim pact by mid-March 2026, after which tariff reductions and related measures are expected to be implemented.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
