MUMBAI, India, Jan 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - India is aggressively seeking trade deals to open markets for exporters and soften the blow of steep US tariffs, as efforts to secure an agreement with Washington remain elusive. If successful, India would have trade arrangements with "almost every major economy", said Ajay Srivastava, from the New Delhi-based Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). "The strategy was a reaction, as I read it, to what Trump did," trade economist Biswajit Dhar told AFP. India's apparel export promotion council projects that the UK trade deal could help double garment exports to Britain over the next three years. But exporters caution that alternative markets cannot fully replace the United States, with Raghavan saying a US deal is "paramount".

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha January 11, 2026 05:28 UTC