With Indian negotiators back in Washington this week for a renewed push to seal the India-US trade deal, there are at least three factors that seem relevant to these fresh deliberations.

One, “backchannel” talks, as part of the diplomatic spadework, are learnt to have continued even when trade relations deteriorated. Moreover, on the defence and strategic dialogue, sources said, it has been “very good business as usual.” This is one key reason why strategic ties are on track even if trade talks sputter or face hurdles. New Delhi ’s expectation is that if all goes well with the trade negotiations, India could see the two sets of US tariffs, adding up to 50 per cent, being replaced by a “much lower” number.

Two, the Indian position has been adequately clarified to the Americans that ther

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