US-India trade deal marks ‘biggest victory in nearly a year,’ analyst Kugelman says

South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman says the US-India trade deal marks a major breakthrough after months of stalled talks, giving fresh momentum to bilateral ties. He says the agreement could ease tariff pressure on Indian exporters, though several claims by President Donald Trump — including India halting Russian oil imports — remain unclear. Kugelman adds that Ambassador Sergio Gor’s role in New Delhi helped push the deal forward, while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s US visit provides a positive diplomatic backdrop and could open the door for deeper cooperation, including a possible Quad leaders’ meeting.