India Postpones Washington Trade Talks Following Supreme Court Tariff Ruling

India has postponed sending a trade delegation to Washington this week due to uncertainty after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Trump's tariffs. The decision represents one of the first concrete responses from Asian nations to the court's ruling and Trump's subsequent temporary 15% tariff implementation.

India has postponed plans to dispatch a trade delegation to Washington this week, primarily due to confusion following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump, according to a trade ministry official who spoke Sunday.

This represents one of the initial tangible responses from Asian countries to the court’s ruling, which came after Trump implemented a temporary 15% tariff on Saturday – the highest rate permitted under law – on American imports from all nations following the judicial rejection.

“The decision to defer the visit was taken after discussions between officials of the two countries,” said the source, who sought anonymity as the matter is a sensitive one. “No new date for the visit has been decided.”

The postponement stemmed primarily from confusion surrounding tariffs after Friday’s court decision, the official explained.

The Indian delegation was scheduled to depart Sunday for negotiations to complete a preliminary trade agreement, following both nations’ approval of a framework for Washington to reduce punitive 25% tariffs on certain Indian exports connected to New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil.

American tariffs on Indian products were planned to decrease to 18%, while India committed to purchasing American goods valued at $500 billion across five years, including energy supplies, aircraft and components, precious metals, and technology items.

India’s opposition Congress party had demanded the preliminary agreement be suspended, pushing for renewed negotiations and challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s choice to release a joint statement prior to the court’s decision.

Saturday saw the Indian trade ministry announce it was examining the consequences of the judicial ruling and subsequent American declarations.

Trade Minister Piyush Goyal stated last week that the preliminary agreement could become effective in April, once remaining issues were settled during the delegation’s Washington visit.