India-US trade: Is the 'big, beautiful' deal in trouble?

With days to go before 9 July, when the tariff pause ends, hopes persist but negotiations are tough.
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With just days to go before a 9 July deadline set by US President Donald Trump's administration, hopes of clinching an interim trade pact between Delhi and Washington remain alive but increasingly entangled in hard bargaining.
Despite White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hinting that the deal was imminent, and Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's upbeat assertion that Delhi would welcome "a big, good, beautiful" agreement - in response to Trump's claim that a trade deal with Delhi is coming and would "open up" the Indian market - negotiators remain locked in tough discussions.
Key sticking points persist, particularly over agricultural access, auto components and tariffs on Indian steel.
Indian trade officials have extended their stay in Washington for another round of talks, even as Delhi signals "very big red lines" on farm and dairy protections, and the US presses for wider market openings. The tone remains optimistic - but the window to strike a deal appears to be narrowing.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c625504qp3go
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