‘India has 100% more trade deals than Trump’: US media praises India-EU FTA while discussing how tariffs are hitting American citizens

The “Mother of all deals” also referred to as the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union has unsurprisingly triggered shots from outside the borders. The United States, which slapped punitive tariffs on allies and adversaries alike, has yet to finalise its trade deal with India, despite months of talks. However, the US media was observing the developments carefully and has now unleashed backlash at US President Donald Trump. New Delhi’s impressive success has resonated in America and beyond as the pivotal deal received extensive coverage coupled with strong criticism of Trump’s policies which have already been shown to hurt the US citizens rather than other nations. United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer mentioned that India stands to gain the most from the FTA while talking to Fox Business. He highlighted much larger market access, labour advantages and potential mobility opportunities for Indian workers. He stated, “Strategically, it’s important to understand that because President Trump has prioritised domestic production and essentially started charging a fee for other countries to access our market, they are looking for other outlets for their overproduction. The EU is turning to India to try to find a place. The EU is so trade-dependent that they need others if they can’t keep sending all their stuff to the United States.” Greer then emphasised, “I have looked at some of the details of the deal so far. I think India comes out on top on this, frankly. They get more market access and immigration rights to Europe. India is going to have a heyday with this and low-cost labour.” BIG BREAKING: America says India got a great trade deal with the EU"India has come out on top in this deal. They get more market access and immigration to Europe. India is going to have a heyday with this," says US Trade Rep Greer pic.twitter.com/ViQQ5GIa9m— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) January 28, 2026 Bloomberg report “EU and India Clinch ‘Mother of All Deals’ in Rebuff to Trump” shed light on how the two sides joined hands in an effort to enhance economic ties that have picked up pace as a result of the harsh US tariffs. Bloomberg headline on India-EU deal “The conclusion of negotiations reflects the rapidly shifting global alignment under US President Donald Trump. The EU, despite long clashing with Indian officials on trade policy, is focused on paring back its economic reliance on the US and China. India is trying to shake its protectionist reputation and offset a 50% Trump tariff while at the same time balancing ties with Russia,” the piece stressed. It informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is looking for new markets and the current accord was his fourth one since May after similar pacts with the United Kingdom, Oman and New Zealand. According to the article he further intends to obtain strategic resources and broaden India’s global reach by forming alliances with the Gulf Cooperation Council, Chile, Peru and the Mercosur bloc. It also recounted when Trump labelled India as the “Tariff King” only to initiate a bloodbath in global markets due to his unreliable actions. The report also elaborated on the specifics of the crucial deal and the positive reactions it provoked from both industry groups and business executives. US tariffs brought EU-India together for the ‘blockbuster trade deal’, says WaPo Likewise, The Washington Post noted that the FTA is “driven by the need for new partnerships to shield their markets from an erratic America.” The media house in its report “Facing US turmoil, Europe and India announce blockbuster trade deal” conveyed that the agreement “will deepen ties” between the two partners.” It identified India as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and the 27-nation bloc as a commercial behemoth that has historically been Washington’s closest partner. This hints at the debacle by the US in its endeavour to levy tariffs on them. It read, “As Trump upends US alliances and global trade, Europe and India each found themselves staring down the barrel of the president’s tariff threats over the past year.” The article stated that the Trump administration’s blatant contempt for the European Union and its impending departure from maintaining European security have motivated European leaders to press for the United States to “de-risk.” It is noteworthy that the strategy was previously reserved for relations with China. “Indian and US relations are at their lowest point in decades, strained by New Delhi’s decision to publicly reject Trump’s claim that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May,” the piece expressed, delving into the specifics of the pact. India has consistently refuted Trump’s claims of mediation between New Delhi and Islamabad, much to his displeasure. It added, “India was among the first countries to begin negotiating a trade deal with the Trump administration after th

Jan 28, 2026 4

‘India has 100% more trade deals than Trump’: US media praises India-EU FTA while discussing how tariffs are hitting American citizens
While applauding the free trade agreement between India and the EU, the US media talks about how tariffs hurt Americans.

The “Mother of all deals” also referred to as the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union has unsurprisingly triggered shots from outside the borders. The United States, which slapped punitive tariffs on allies and adversaries alike, has yet to finalise its trade deal with India, despite months of talks. However, the US media was observing the developments carefully and has now unleashed backlash at US President Donald Trump.

New Delhi’s impressive success has resonated in America and beyond as the pivotal deal received extensive coverage coupled with strong criticism of Trump’s policies which have already been shown to hurt the US citizens rather than other nations.

United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer mentioned that India stands to gain the most from the FTA while talking to Fox Business. He highlighted much larger market access, labour advantages and potential mobility opportunities for Indian workers.

He stated, “Strategically, it’s important to understand that because President Trump has prioritised domestic production and essentially started charging a fee for other countries to access our market, they are looking for other outlets for their overproduction. The EU is turning to India to try to find a place. The EU is so trade-dependent that they need others if they can’t keep sending all their stuff to the United States.”

Greer then emphasised, “I have looked at some of the details of the deal so far. I think India comes out on top on this, frankly. They get more market access and immigration rights to Europe. India is going to have a heyday with this and low-cost labour.”

Bloomberg report “EU and India Clinch ‘Mother of All Deals’ in Rebuff to Trump” shed light on how the two sides joined hands in an effort to enhance economic ties that have picked up pace as a result of the harsh US tariffs.

Bloomberg headline on India-EU deal

“The conclusion of negotiations reflects the rapidly shifting global alignment under US President Donald Trump. The EU, despite long clashing with Indian officials on trade policy, is focused on paring back its economic reliance on the US and China. India is trying to shake its protectionist reputation and offset a 50% Trump tariff while at the same time balancing ties with Russia,” the piece stressed.

It informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is looking for new markets and the current accord was his fourth one since May after similar pacts with the United Kingdom, Oman and New Zealand. According to the article he further intends to obtain strategic resources and broaden India’s global reach by forming alliances with the Gulf Cooperation Council, Chile, Peru and the Mercosur bloc.

It also recounted when Trump labelled India as the “Tariff King” only to initiate a bloodbath in global markets due to his unreliable actions. The report also elaborated on the specifics of the crucial deal and the positive reactions it provoked from both industry groups and business executives.

US tariffs brought EU-India together for the ‘blockbuster trade deal’, says WaPo

Likewise, The Washington Post noted that the FTA is “driven by the need for new partnerships to shield their markets from an erratic America.” The media house in its report “Facing US turmoil, Europe and India announce blockbuster trade deal” conveyed that the agreement “will deepen ties” between the two partners.”

It identified India as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and the 27-nation bloc as a commercial behemoth that has historically been Washington’s closest partner. This hints at the debacle by the US in its endeavour to levy tariffs on them. It read, “As Trump upends US alliances and global trade, Europe and India each found themselves staring down the barrel of the president’s tariff threats over the past year.”

The article stated that the Trump administration’s blatant contempt for the European Union and its impending departure from maintaining European security have motivated European leaders to press for the United States to “de-risk.” It is noteworthy that the strategy was previously reserved for relations with China.

“Indian and US relations are at their lowest point in decades, strained by New Delhi’s decision to publicly reject Trump’s claim that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May,” the piece expressed, delving into the specifics of the pact. India has consistently refuted Trump’s claims of mediation between New Delhi and Islamabad, much to his displeasure.

It added, “India was among the first countries to begin negotiating a trade deal with the Trump administration after the president’s slew of tariffs on dozens of nations last year, but the two sides have not been able to clinch an agreement.” The report highlighted that Washington placed some of the highest tariff rates on India which pushed the latter to ease tensions with China and reaffirmed its commitment of strategic autonomy.

It stated that “the deal comes as India’s economy continues to grow” and “it represents a way to widen markets and attract investment in the hopes of reenergising the domestic economy.” The piece stressed that Trump signed an agreement with the EU but his declarations about Greenland and his threats to impose new tariffs on eight European countries that rejected his quest for US control of the Arctic country, which was later reversed, have not alleviated the concerns about the dependency risk.

India stood firm against US tariffs which encouraged nations to search for different markets

The Wall Street Journal in its report “EU and India Reach Free-Trade Deal as World Responds to Trump Tariffs,” conveyed that the FTA “is the latest example of US trading partners seeking to curb their reliance on America by expanding ties with other markets” while discussing how it will be beneficial for the involved parties.

It pointed out that the EU struck a trade and investment agreement with Indonesia last year and earlier this month it entered into a free-trade agreement with the four South American nations that created the Mercosur customs union. The article talked about the India and United Kingdom trade accord and mentioned that the latter has struck a trade-and-security partnership with the European Union and also amended an existing agreement with South Korea over the past year.

Earlier this month, Canada and China similarly reached a compromise to reduce tariffs on Canadian canola oil and electric vehicles manufactured in China. It is a testament to the reality of a multipolar world where America can no longer act as the global bully that compels other nations to conform. The countries are in a position to look beyond and outside, finding their own paths to continue growing and trading despite pressure from Washington.

The piece even underscored how a strong New Delhi has managed to sustain its position despite the regular threats and tariff hikes from the US. It stated, “India, which is forecast to become the world’s fourth-largest economy this year, has held firm against US demands to open up its markets to dairy products and ethanol. The Indian economy is less dependent on exports compared with countries such as Japan and South Korea, which has allowed New Delhi to hold the line in trade negotiations with Washington.”

Trump’s chaotic trade policy

CNN also termed the FTA as “the largest such deal ever clinched by either side, as they contend with an erratic trade policy from key trading partner the United States.” Its report “India and Europe, both stung by Trump, turn to each other in a ‘mother of all deals’ on trade” noted the frequent threats to invade Greenland and implementation of 50% tariffs on New Delhi, including 25% for taking Russian oil and natural gas.

“Just recently, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose higher tariffs on the European nations opposing his push to annexe Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, though he later backed down from the threats. For the EU as a whole, the United States is its biggest export market. And in August, Trump announced an additional 25% tariff on India as punishment for importing Russian oil and natural gas, building on a previously announced 25% tariff rate,” the article pointed out.

“India also signed trade deals with various countries in 2025, a year marked by Trump’s return to the White House and his chaotic trade policy,” it added and covered the particulars of the fresh deal.

Perfect answer to global hegemons: Canada

The EU-India agreement has attracted substantial favourable reception from America which slammed Trump for his excessive tariff policy. Meanwhile, Canada which Trump has mockingly labelled the “51st US state” took the opportunity to indirectly attack him without taking any names. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Timothy Hodgson called FTA a “perfect” response to global hegemons that employ economic integration and tariffs as coercive measures.

“What is happening in the world today is not a gradual economic transition. It is a rupture. The hegemons of the world have decided that the rules-based order is no longer how the world will work. They have decided that’s not the way the world’s going to work anymore,” he charged at India Energy Week 2026. He maintained that India’s goal to finalise the agreement delivered a clear message in support of free trade and reliable partners.

“What you just did with the EU signing, the mother of all deals, was a perfect example of how to say no (to hegemons). We’re not going to live in a world where the strongest put tariffs on everyone else. We’re going to live in a world where we believe in free trade, where we believe in trusted relationships,” Hodgson asserted.

He declared that Ottawa will “never use our energy for torture” and his country is prepared to boost its energy exports to India in bid to diversify its clientele and reduce reliance on supplies to the US.

Modi surpassed Trump in trade deals, Americans bear the brunt of tariffs

In a CNBC show hosted by Journalist Morgan Brennan, economic policy expert Henrietta Treyz pointed out that India has outpaced the US in inking trade agreements. Additionally, the consequences of the tariffs, denouncing allies and the abject inability to conclude trade deals have created difficulties for both Trump and his party.

She expressed, “India has secured 100% more trade deals than Trump this year. He has merely finalised 2 deals in 10 months with Malaysia and Cambodia, despite the commitment to achieve 90 such agreements in 90 days. The one with South Korea is also not moving forward owing to the myriad issues,” in a CNBC interview.

Treyz outlined, “96% trade with the nation was covered by FTA with no tariffs but Trump’s repeated condemnation of partners like the EU, Japan and South Korea is not bearing fruit. Moreover, 50% of Americans want the tariffs to be revoked by the Supreme Court. The administration is struggling with its affordability message and the failure of these trade deals. This has resulted in a decline in numbers for not only Trump but also the Republican Conference.”

Conclusion

European Council President Antonio Luis Santos da Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in India as the principal guests for Republic Day and held the 16th EU-India Summit. The vital Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was announced on 27th January following nearly two decades of negotiations, demonstrating that world economies can pursue their own trajectories regardless of the United States. The evident truth is recognised by Americans as well resulting in the pushback against Trump’s detrimental policies.

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