India, Israel and Vietnam in talks for new trade deal over Trump's tariff blitz: Reports

India, Vietnam and Israel are reportedly in negotiations with President Donald Trump, CNN reported, two days after the United States announced the tariffs.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the levies with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Reuters, which cited a State Department readout of their meeting.

The talks between Trump and these countries pertain to only a small fraction of those affected by his sweeping tariff measures. Notably, this is seen as the first phase of broader discussions, as countries consider their response.

On Friday, Vietnam — which has been hit with a 46 per cent tariff — announced it was reducing its tariffs on US goods to zero. Trump made the announcement on his social media platform, Truth Social.

“Just had a very productive call with To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who told me that Vietnam wants to cut their Tariffs down to ZERO if they are able to make an agreement with the US. I thanked him on behalf of our Country, and said I look forward to a meeting in the near future,” said Trump in a post.

While some officials argue that the tariffs are a deliberate attempt by the president to disrupt global trade patterns, Trump told reporters on Thursday that he believes the tariffs strengthen his ability to negotiate trade deals with other world leaders.

“Every country has called us. That’s the beauty of what we do — we put ourselves in the driver’s seat. The tariffs give us great power to negotiate. They always have,” Trump said.

While imposing 27 per cent tariffs on India, Trump remarked that, although Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a friend, India imposes a 52 per cent tariff on American goods. “We have charged them almost nothing for years and years,” Trump added.

Vietnam — the US’s largest trading partner in Southeast Asia and a key manufacturing hub — was hit with a 46 per cent duty as part of Trump’s broader trade policies. Although earlier statements suggested that the tariffs were non-negotiable, the latest talks suggest otherwise.

The Times of Israel reported that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to visit the United States soon, citing an announcement from Trump. If the visit materialises, one of the key issues on his agenda is expected to be the Trump administration’s 17 per cent tariff on Israeli goods.