Washington DC, July 30 -- President Donald Trump's threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on India should be seen as a negotiating tactic rather than a fundamental shift in US-India relations, according to former US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal.

Speaking to ANI, Biswal said Trump had indicated he remains "open to negotiations with India" despite his morning announcement threatening tariffs and penalties on Indian goods.

Biswal revealed that US and Indian negotiators had been working "for quite some time, weeks, even months" on a phase one trade deal that was "very, very close" to completion just days ago.

"What was left was for there to be some leader-level agreement," she said, suggesting that Trump's tariff threat represen...