'Can't stay closed': US commerce secretary urges India to open agriculture sector amid Trump's reciprocal tariff push

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, while speaking at the India Today Conclave, urged India to open up its agriculture sector for trade, saying, “It just can’t stay closed,” amid reciprocal tariff threats from US President Donald Trump.

“The Indian market for agriculture has to open up… How you do that and the scale by which you do that—maybe through quotas, maybe through limits. You can be smarter when you have your most important trading partner on the other side of the table,” Lutnick said.

Lutnick also urged India to rethink its trade policies and consider a bilateral deal with the US. He also stressed that a partnership with the world’s largest consumer economy would be beneficial for both nations.

A grand deal

Speaking at the India Today Conclave, he proposed a “grand deal,” suggesting that if India lowers its tariffs on US goods, America would offer India significant trade opportunities and a stronger partnership.

At the summit, he also raised concerns about the emphasis on trade tensions during Trump’s second term, pointing out that governments have multiple ways to strengthen ties.

Lutnick urges India to buy US weapons

He urged India to reduce its dependence on Russian military equipment, saying it was crucial for strengthening ties with the US.

In conversation with journalist Rahul Kanwal, Lutnick said, “India has traditionally purchased a large share of its military equipment from Russia, and we believe that needs to change.”

Further highlighting India’s role in BRICS, alongside Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa, Lutnick noted that Beijing’s push for a common currency, which Trump opposes, is viewed as a challenge to the US dollar’s dominance. “Such moves don’t foster the strong bond we have with India. We want fair trade and a deep, strategic relationship,” he said.