Ajit Doval told US India wouldn’t be bullied, could wait out Trump term on trade deal: Reports

A recent Bloomberg report has revealed that during early September 2025, the Modi government informed US officials that India was prepared to wait out President Donald Trump’s term before finalising a trade deal, challenging the narrative of a quick bilateral victory promoted by the Trump administration.

According to Bloomberg, Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to convey India’s firm stance amid growing tensions over high American tariffs, which had reached 50 per cent on Indian exports — among the highest globally.

The meeting came as the Trump administration repeatedly criticised New Delhi and pressed for concessions, particularly on agricultural and dairy products.

The report quoted Doval as saying, “India wouldn't be bullied by US President Donald Trump and his top aides, and would be willing to wait out his term, having faced other hostile US administrations in the past.”

Bloomberg cited anonymous officials in New Delhi who were aware of the private meeting. Both India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the US State Department declined to comment on the matter.

The meeting reportedly aimed to de-escalate tensions, with Doval asking Rubio that Trump and his aides reduce public criticism of India to help restore bilateral relations.

Following the meeting, there was some softening of rhetoric from the US, including a birthday call from Trump to Prime Minister Modi later in September.

Earlier, Trump and his aides, including Peter Navarro, had publicly criticised India. Navarro described India’s handling of the Russia-Ukraine war as “Modi's war” over India’s continued purchase of Russian crude and commented that “India is getting in bed with the authoritarians.”

He also used imagery of a meditating Modi in saffron robes, with a red tilak and Thiruneeru, drawing attention to India’s civilisational roots in a critical context.

Tensions escalated further after New Delhi dismissed Trump’s claims of having brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during the four-day conflict in May 2025. India-US relations, which had been strengthening over two decades, reportedly nosedived after these incidents.

Despite the simmering tensions, Trump announced the India-US trade deal unilaterally on his social media platform Truth Social, stating that he had spoken with PM Modi. Modi acknowledged the call but did not directly comment on the deal.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that the two sides had managed to finalise the deal, which had been under negotiation since February 2025.

Observers note that Trump’s early announcement opened the Modi government to domestic scrutiny, particularly as details of the deal remain undisclosed. Critics in India have expressed concerns that the US may have pushed New Delhi to accept terms on oil and agricultural products that are more favourable to Washington.

The Bloomberg report also highlights that India was prepared to wait until the end of Trump’s first presidential term — until 2029 — if necessary, before agreeing to terms not conducive to India’s interests. This suggests that, despite the public portrayal of a swift trade victory in the US, New Delhi had maintained a cautious approach during negotiations.