It is a kite.., it is a bird.., it is an airplane. ‘What is it?’ is the apt question for the joint statement issued by the governments of the United States and India on February 6, 2026. The joint statement has triggered endless speculation, and the Indian government’s contumacious evasion of the details has not helped to remove the cloud of doubt. Since Mr Trump is dealing the cards, the joint statement may not be of concern for U.S., but it is for India.

The joint statement issued was based on deception. Indian negotiators claimed repeatedly in 2025 that they were negotiating a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). The minister of commerce said numerous times that a BTA will be concluded in the near future; in fact, he said before the “end of the year.” As it turned out, the joint statement is not a BTA; it is not even an Interim Agreement; it is a framework for an Interim Agreement. We moved a mountain and we got a mouse.

Chidambaram’s Take: When the Survey speaks, Budget goes silent

No AIIMS, no major rail projects: Kerala faces setback in Union Budget 2026

‘No reforms in 2025, six prescriptions for 2026’: What Panagariya is really telling the Govt

Five Union Budget speeches that redefined India’s economic journey

After the joint statement was issued, both sides claimed that the deal was reciprocal. The claim is an insult to the reader’s........

© Mathrubhumi English