India, Feb. 3 -- For much of the past year, the India-US trade ties appeared locked in an impasse - defined by Trump's tariffs, sharp rhetoric, oil politics and stalled negotiations. Officials traded messages, delegations held rounds of talks, and leaders spoke repeatedly, yet a deal remained out of reach until Monday.

After months of uncertainty, a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump produced what both sides now describe as a breakthrough trade pact.

The deal, which cuts US tariffs on Indian goods from 50 per cent to 18 per cent, marks a dramatic shift from the deep friction that shaped most of 2025, when the two strategic partners found themselves at odds over tariffs, energy sourcing and trad...