Indians fear that for all his bluster about making trade “fair”, Mr Trump’s administration is intent on winning unequal gains. Using a tight deadline, “Mr Trump wants to bully India into a deal,” says Ajay Srivastava, an Indian former trade negotiator and founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative, another think-tank.

A high-powered Indian trade team landed in the United States on Friday for what could be the final round of talks before a key deadline expires on July 9. The two countries are in discussions to avoid the return of reciprocal tariffs on several goods.

A day after revealing plans for a major trade deal with India, President Trump elaborated that the U.S. seeks to dismantle trade restrictions currently limiting American businesses. He said current conditions are heavily restricted and aims to achieve full barrier removal,