US Signals Progress on Lower-Tariff Trade Deal With India
US President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington and New Delhi are nearing a breakthrough on a long-pending bilateral trade agreement, hinting that American tariffs on India may soon be reduced. Speaking at the swearing-in of Sergio Gor as the new US Ambassador to India, Trump said both sides are “pretty close” to finalising a fair deal and praised India’s negotiating strength. Later, at the Oval Office, he linked the potential tariff cuts to India’s sharply reduced imports of Russian oil, saying the US would begin “bringing the tariffs down.” The comments follow Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s statement that negotiations are progressing well, despite several sensitive issues still under discussion. Five rounds of talks have taken place since March, with both sides targeting the completion of Phase I by late 2025 and aiming to expand bilateral trade from USD 191 billion to USD 500 billion by 2030.
High-level engagement has intensified in recent months, with Minister Goyal visiting the US in September and American officials holding parallel discussions in New Delhi. Negotiators from both countries describe the talks as “positive and forward-looking,” with the shared goal of concluding a mutually beneficial agreement. A lower-tariff, more predictable US-India trade framework could create new supply-chain opportunities, reduce entry barriers for global firms operating in either market, and offer clearer incentives for companies considering India as a manufacturing or sourcing base within a US-aligned trade environment.
https://www.zeebiz.com/economy-infra/world-economy/news-donald-trump-hints-at-nearing-india-us-trade-deal-signals-tariff-reduction-ahead-382956
Editor’s Note: The US and India are nearing a breakthrough on a lower-tariff trade agreement, with President Trump linking potential tariff cuts to India’s reduced Russian oil imports and praising its negotiating strength. With five rounds of talks completed and Phase I targeted by late 2025, both sides aim to boost bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030, fostering supply-chain opportunities and easing market entry for global firms.
India Has Greater Productivity Upside From AI Adoption, Says MeitY Secretary
India has far more headroom to raise productivity through artificial intelligence than most countries, according to S. Krishnan, Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY). Speaking at an event hosted by the global tech industry group BSA, Krishnan said India’s AI-driven job disruption will be relatively limited because white-collar roles constitute a smaller share of total employment. He also noted that unlike many countries—where about 70% of AI tool usage is for entertainment—India uses AI more for business and enterprise functions, making its productivity potential significantly higher.
At the same event, BSA—whose members include Adobe, Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce and Zoom—launched its India agenda for enterprise AI adoption. The agenda urges the government to ease restrictions on cross-border data transfers and open access to non-sensitive, high-value government datasets to accelerate responsible AI innovation. Clearer data-flow rules and expanded access to public datasets would strengthen India’s position as a global AI hub, offering multinational firms smoother operations, better collaboration with Indian partners, and improved opportunities to scale AI products and services in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets.
Editor’s Note: India has significant potential to boost productivity through AI, with limited job disruption due to its employment structure and a focus on enterprise rather than entertainment use. At a BSA event, industry leaders urged the government to ease data-transfer restrictions and expand access to public datasets to position India as a global AI hub and enhance multinational collaboration.
AWS Expands Marketplace in India With Local Currency Purchases, Easing Procurement for Enterprises
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has expanded its AWS Marketplace in India, enabling customers to buy software and services from domestic and global technology providers directly in Indian Rupees. The company said the move will simplify procurement, improve tax compliance, and support India’s fast-growing digital and AI-driven economy. Indian ISVs, consulting partners, and technology vendors can now list and sell offerings locally with INR invoicing, while customers gain easier access to solutions from providers such as Deloitte, Cisco, IBM, Salesforce, Palo Alto Networks, TCS, and Freshworks. AWS executives said the change removes long-standing procurement friction and opens new growth pathways for Indian partners.
Industry players including TCS and Salesforce welcomed the development, calling it a catalyst for cloud adoption and digital transformation. AWS Marketplace—featuring over 30,000 software listings globally—acts as a central platform for organisations to find, purchase, and deploy cloud-ready tools with simplified billing and governance. For companies operating outside India, the expansion enhances the ability to sell to Indian customers through localised transactions, broadens access to one of the world’s fastest-growing cloud markets, and strengthens integration opportunities with India-based partners and enterprises.
Editor’s Note: AWS has expanded its Marketplace in India to support purchases in Indian Rupees, simplifying procurement, improving tax compliance, and enabling local vendors to list offerings with INR invoicing. The move is expected to accelerate cloud adoption and digital transformation by easing access to global and domestic solutions, while enhancing opportunities for international firms to engage with India’s rapidly growing cloud market.
India Launches National AI Governance Guidelines to Promote Safe and Responsible Adoption
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), under the IndiaAI Mission, has released the India AI Governance Guidelines—a national framework aimed at ensuring safe, inclusive, and responsible AI deployment across sectors. Unveiled by Principal Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood alongside senior MeitY leadership, the guidelines mark a major step ahead of the India–AI Impact Summit 2026. The framework lays out seven guiding principles for ethical AI, recommendations across six governance pillars, an actionable roadmap spanning short to long-term timelines, and practical guidance for industry, developers, and regulators. Officials emphasised that the framework prioritises human-centricity, responsible innovation, and a “Do No Harm” philosophy while leveraging existing legal structures to manage risks without stifling progress.
The guidelines were crafted by a high-level committee chaired by IIT Madras professor Balaraman Ravindran and include contributors from government, academia, industry, and policy organisations. MeitY stated that the extensive public consultation process helped refine the final document, reflecting strong cross-sector engagement. The government highlighted its commitment to ensuring that AI in India remains accessible, affordable, inclusive, and trustworthy while enabling a dynamic innovation ecosystem. For global companies working with or in India, the new governance framework provides clearer regulatory expectations, strengthens trust in AI deployment, and encourages deeper collaboration in line with India’s growing role in shaping responsible AI standards.
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2186639®=3&lang=1
Editor’s Note: India has launched its National AI Governance Guidelines under the IndiaAI Mission to ensure safe, inclusive, and responsible AI deployment, outlining ethical principles, governance pillars, and a roadmap for industry and regulators. Developed through broad consultation, the framework aims to foster trust, support innovation, and provide global companies with clear regulatory guidance for deeper collaboration in India’s growing AI ecosystem.
Nvidia Joins India Deep Tech Alliance as New Members Add Over $850 Million in Commitments
Global chipmaker Nvidia has joined Indian and US investors in backing the India Deep Tech Alliance, which has expanded with fresh capital commitments exceeding $850 million, Reuters reported. Launched in September 2025 with an initial $1 billion pledge, the alliance aims to bridge the funding gap for India’s research-driven startups in areas such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, space, and robotics. New members include Qualcomm Ventures, Activate AI, InfoEdge Ventures, Chiratae Ventures, and Kalaari Capital — signalling rising global confidence in India’s emerging deep-tech ecosystem.
As a founding member and strategic advisor, Nvidia will provide technical guidance, training, and policy insights to help Indian startups harness cutting-edge AI and computing technologies. The move comes as India pushes to build domestic capability in chip design and frontier technologies, where deep-tech ventures often face long gestation periods and high capital requirements. For companies outside India, the alliance’s expansion creates stronger collaboration pathways, deeper access to India’s advanced engineering talent pool, and new opportunities to partner with or invest in high-growth, research-focused technology firms in the region.
Editor’s Note: Nvidia has joined the India Deep Tech Alliance, which now boasts over $850 million in new commitments to support research-driven startups in semiconductors, AI, space, and robotics. As a strategic advisor, Nvidia will offer technical and policy support, while the alliance’s expansion strengthens global collaboration and investment opportunities in India’s deep-tech ecosystem.
India to Resume Import Approvals From China After Five-Year Freeze
India is preparing to restart approvals for imports from China and other countries, ending a freeze that has been in place since border tensions escalated in 2020. According to government sources, the move aims to ease supply chain bottlenecks, support domestic manufacturers, and meet rising consumer demand following recent GST reductions. The 2020 restrictions — imposed after the Galwan Valley clashes — had introduced mandatory certifications for foreign factories, delayed clearances for electronics and industrial inputs, and tightened scrutiny of FDI from neighbouring nations. These curbs had a significant impact on sectors such as consumer electronics, footwear, household goods, steel, and raw materials.
Under the revised approach, India plans to fast-track pending import proposals, reassess certification requirements for overseas units, and offer greater flexibility to industries facing shortages of key components. However, the relaxation will be selective: telecom equipment, strategic electronics, surveillance systems, and other security-sensitive categories are expected to remain under strict oversight. The recalibrated policy is intended to boost economic recovery while maintaining national security priorities. For non-Indian companies, the shift opens the door to smoother market access, faster regulatory processing, and renewed opportunities to integrate with India’s manufacturing and consumer supply chains.
Editor’s Note: India is set to resume import approvals from China and other countries after a five-year freeze, aiming to ease supply chain bottlenecks and support domestic manufacturing amid rising demand. While fast-tracking proposals and easing certification norms for most sectors, security-sensitive imports like telecom and surveillance equipment will remain under strict oversight to balance economic recovery with national security.