Big Take Asia Podcast

India Got a Trade Deal. Now Comes the Hard Part

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast: The US-India trade deal drives down tariffs, but hinges on a hard promise for India to keep — that it will stop buying Russian crude.

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet in the Oval Office at the White House on February 13, 2025.
Photographer: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

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By K Oanh Ha, Yang Yang, and Rachael Lewis-Krisky

February 5, 2026 at 11:11 PM UTC

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This week, the US and India announced a surprise new trade deal that slashes tariffs on Indian goods. It has one major possible catch: a commitment from India to stop buying cheap Russian oil — which will be easier said than done.