U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that trade talks with both India and Pakistan could be derailed if military tensions between the two nations escalate further.
Speaking at Joint Base Andrews, Trump revealed that a Pakistani delegation is scheduled to visit the U.S. next week to negotiate tariff relief, while the U.S. is also nearing a trade agreement with India.
“We’re very close to making a deal with India. But I wouldn’t want to make any deals if they’re at war with each other,” Trump said, referring to the recent spike in India-Pakistan hostilities following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and India’s subsequent Operation Sindoor.
Military exchanges—including missile launches, drone activity, and artillery fire—have marked the worst India-Pakistan conflict in decades.
Trump’s comments come amid growing pressure on Islamabad, which faces potential 29% tariffs on exports due to a $3 billion trade surplus with the U.S. The upcoming talks aim to prevent the imposition of those duties.
Meanwhile, U.S.-India relations continue to strengthen. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau called the India-U.S. partnership a “historic zenith” after meeting Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Washington. The two discussed trade, immigration, and counternarcotics cooperation.
India’s Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also visited the U.S. recently, pushing for a limited trade agreement by July. As part of the evolving deal, India may open up over $50 billion in government contracts to U.S. companies.
