India Got A Good FTA With EU, Says American Trade Representative

Last Updated:January 28, 2026, 11:51 IST

US Trade Representative says India emerged as a major winner in its trade deal with the European Union, gaining market access and immigration opportunities to Europe.

PM Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the India-EU Business Forum, in New Delhi on January 27, 2026. (Image: PMO/PTI)

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Wednesday said India had emerged as a major winner from its trade deal with the European Union, saying New Delhi had secured significant gains in market access and immigration opportunities.

“India has come out on top in this deal. They get more market access and immigration to Europe. India is going to have a heyday with this,” Greer said.

Greer’s remarks came shortly after India and the European Union announced what they described as the “mother of all trade deals,” concluding nearly two decades of intermittent negotiations.

Asked about the newly finalised India-EU free trade agreement, the US trade representative framed the pact as a response to President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff regime and protectionist trade policies. Speaking to Fox Business, Greer said that as Trump prioritises boosting domestic production in the United States, other countries are increasingly seeking alternative markets to absorb what he described as their “over-production.”

US Stance On India Tariffs

Despite praising the India–EU deal, Washington said additional punitive tariffs on Indian imports remain in place, even as it acknowledged progress by New Delhi in reducing purchases of Russian crude oil.

In the same Fox Business interview, Greer said India had “made a lot of progress” in cutting back its Russian oil imports but confirmed that the additional 25% duties, taking total tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, were still being enforced.

Greer said it would be “hard” for India to completely sever energy ties with Russia, noting that New Delhi continues to benefit from discounted crude.

“They like the discount that you get from Russian oil,” he said, adding that Washington was closely monitoring India’s actions. He also said he remained “in frequent contact” with his Indian counterpart, understood to be Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

Despite describing his relationship with Indian trade officials as positive, Greer stressed that the US was continuing to closely track India’s Russian oil purchases. His remarks contrast with comments made earlier by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at Davos 2026, where Bessent indicated that tariffs on Indian goods could be lowered at a later stage.

Read More