Christopher Landau, US Deputy Secretary of State
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS/THOMAS MUKOYA
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau expressed optimism that the India-US trade deal is nearing the “finish line”, but cautioned that Washington will not repeat the same trade mistakes with India that it made with China.
Addressing the Raisina Dialogue 2026 on Thursday, Landau said the US government has to be accountable to its people just like the Indian government needs to be accountable to its own.
“India has got to understand that we are not going to make the same mistake that we made with China 20 years ago,” he said. “We [won’t] let you build and develop all these markets only to find you beating us in a lot of commercial things. We are going to make sure that whatever we do is fair to our people.”
Despite these stipulations, the Deputy Secretary noted the trade deal, which was at the finish line, was poised to unlock “almost limitless potential”, and described India as a nation of incredible economic and human resources that will “decide the future of the century.”
Landau said that US’ interest in India was driven by pragmatism rather than philanthropy. “I am not here to do social work,” he remarked. “It is in our interest, and also the interest of India, to deepen our partnership. It has to be based on reciprocity and mutual respect.”
On the commercial and economic front, the future is incredibly bright, Landau said, and noted that both nations are led by figures who prioritised national interest. “It seems logical that we are going to be deepening our cooperation. We have many win-win situations with India.
US SC ruling narrows gap
Negotiations on the India-US trade deal entered the slow lane, following a February 20 US Supreme Court ruling that invalidated US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs. In response, Trump replaced those specific levies with a global 10 per cent to 15 per cent surcharge.
This shift has stripped the US of its primary bargaining chip. Because Indian goods now face a 10 per cent global tariff — down from 25 per cent — the US offer to lower India’s rate to 18 per cent as part of a trade framework has lost its incentive. Consequently, New Delhi is adopting “strategic patience” to watch how things unfold globally following the judgement.
Looking ahead, Landau signaled a desire to move past historical hesitations. “I hope we can move beyond the Cold War model where India feels compelled to keep the U.S. at arm’s length,” he said. He pointed to security, counter-terrorism, and ensuring freedom of navigation on the high seas as key pillars where the two nations can “cooperate forthrightly” to set the stage for decades of partnership.
Published on March 5, 2026