India, Feb. 14 -- A trade deal, an ambitious target for bilateral trade, and a commitment to make it easier for companies from either country to invest in the other were among the highlights of the talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Thursday.

The two countries have sparred (on the trade front) on everything from shrimp and liquor to dairy products and the standards for hi-tech equipment, and a trade deal could resolve most of the issues, including one that figured prominently on Thursday -- tariffs.

On Thursday afternoon eastern time (early Friday morning IST), President Donald Trump signed an order that laid the pathway for the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on countries which, accordin...