White House is ‘close’ on Japan, India tariff agreements — but expect them to be light on specifics
Published: 04/22/2025
Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/22/white-house-is-close-on-japan-india-agreements-but-expect-them-to-be-light-on-specifics-00302762
The White House is nearing general agreements with Japan and India to avoid large U.S. tariffs, but the specifics are expected to be worked out later. Instead of full trade deals, the administration aims to create memorandums of understanding or a broad framework for future deals. This approach signals how the Trump administration plans to handle negotiations with over 60 trading partners to prevent tariffs threatened for early July. The agreements are structured to suggest the U.S. is these countries' major trading partner, but are likely to face blowback from China, which has warned against deals made at its expense.
- White House is close to agreements with Japan and India to avert U.S. tariffs, but deals will lack specific details.
- The administration is pursuing 'memorandums of understanding' or a broad 'architecture' for future deals instead of full-fledged trade agreements.
- The agreements aim to reassure businesses and financial markets amid trade war concerns.
- The deals are structured to imply that the U.S. is the major trading partner for Japan and India, potentially impacting relations with China.
- China has warned against deals made at its expense, highlighting potential geopolitical tensions.