'Can announce some deals very soon': White House big update on trade talks with 15 countries

The United States is on the verge of finalising several major trade agreements, with more than 15 proposals under active consideration and over 75 countries engaging in talks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday.

“There have been many talks with countries — we’ve had more than 15 deals, pieces of paper put on the table, proposals that are actively being considered,” Leavitt told reporters at the White House.

“More than 75 countries have reached out. So there's a lot of work to do. We very much understand that, but we do believe that we can announce some deals very soon.”

Leavitt said President Donald Trump is personally involved in the process and has made it clear to his trade team that he wants to sign off on each agreement.

However, she declined to give specifics on the progress of discussions with Russia, citing the ongoing work of the US Trade Representative and officials from the Departments of Commerce and Treasury.

Her comments came days after President Trump announced a 90-day pause on most tariff hikes for key trading partners, including India, while raising levies on Chinese imports. The temporary relief is seen as a positive signal for Indian exporters, who have been navigating rising trade tensions in recent months.

India and the US agreed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February visit to work toward a comprehensive trade agreement, beginning with an early deal expected later this year. The two sides aim to expand bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.

A senior Indian trade official on Friday said the countries had finalised terms of reference for the first phase of negotiations and expressed optimism about a breakthrough within 90 days, reported Reuters.

“We are far ahead in trade talks with the U.S. compared to other countries ... there are lots of possibilities in 90 days,” Reuters quoted the official as saying.

Despite the Trump administration’s move to impose a 26% tariff on select Indian goods earlier this month, India chose not to retaliate and, instead, took steps to strengthen trade ties, including increasing purchases of US defence and energy products.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade has launched a global tariff and trade helpdesk to support stakeholders in addressing issues such as import surges, dumping, and supply chain disruptions. Indian customs officials have been directed to closely monitor trade flows to prevent misuse of the country as a transit point for rerouted goods.