India vowed on Thursday to protect its labour-intensive agriculture sector, a central sticking point in bogged-down trade talks with the U.S., as Washington threatened 25% tariffs, triggering outrage from the opposition and a slump in the rupee.

India expects US trade negotiators to visit the country later this month to continue talks on a bilateral deal, an official in New Delhi said, after President Donald Trump hit the South Asian nation with a 25% tariff.

The president's trade move comes before his Aug. 1 deadline for higher reciprocal tariffs on goods from nearly 180 countries across the world.