Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that a delegation from Pakistan will visit the United States next week to discuss trade relations, as Islamabad seeks to secure relief from looming U.S. tariffs.
The visit comes in the wake of Washington’s announcement last month of sweeping tariff hikes on several countries, including a potential 29% duty on Pakistani exports to the U.S. The increase stems from Pakistan’s $3 billion trade surplus with the world’s largest economy.
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews after disembarking Air Force One, Trump addressed the upcoming talks and broader regional tensions.
“As you know, we’re very close making a deal with India,” he said, referring to ongoing negotiations with New Delhi. However, he stressed that the U.S. has no interest in pursuing trade agreements with Pakistan or India if their longstanding rivalry escalates into military conflict.
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Trump’s remarks came amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, who earlier this month engaged in their most intense clashes in decades—exchanging missiles, drones, and artillery fire over four days.
While Pakistan prepares to engage with Washington, India has also intensified efforts to secure a trade deal. Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal recently visited the U.S., with both sides targeting an interim agreement by early July. India currently faces 26% tariffs on its exports to the American market.
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According to a Reuters report, India is expected to open up bidding opportunities for U.S. companies on federal contracts valued at over $50 billion—a major concession aimed at smoothing negotiations.
As the U.S. seeks to reshape global trade dynamics, both South Asian countries are under pressure to recalibrate their economic engagement with Washingto
