India, U.S. Begin Fresh Trade Talks on Proposed Bilateral Agreement
NEW DELHI — India and the United States are set to begin a new round of trade negotiations Tuesday as both sides work to finalize the first phase of a long-awaited bilateral trade agreement that could reshape economic ties between the two countries.
The talks, scheduled for June 2 to June 4, are expected to focus on finalizing the legal text of the proposed interim agreement and resolving remaining issues. The broader framework of the agreement has already been agreed upon, according to officials.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said Monday that about 99% of the negotiations had been completed, with only a few issues still under discussion.
“We will very soon announce the signing of the first BTA with the U.S. and continue our conversations on the second phase,” Goyal said.
The negotiations are expected to focus on the first phase of the broader bilateral trade agreement framework, covering areas such as market access, non-tariff barriers, customs facilitation, investment promotion and economic security cooperation.
Government sources said the discussions are also expected to include tariffs imposed under Section 301 of U.S. trade law. India is seeking relief from ongoing investigations and other trade-related concerns that have emerged as important agenda items.
A trade agreement could give Indian exporters preferential access to the U.S. market compared with competing economies.
The U.S. delegation will be led by chief negotiator Brendan Lynch, while India’s team will be headed by Darpan Jain, additional secretary in the Department of Commerce.
Officials said most of the negotiations have already concluded, but both sides are now working through technical issues before moving toward a formal announcement of the first phase.
The latest round of talks follows earlier uncertainty over U.S. tariff policy. The U.S. Supreme Court had previously ruled against President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariff regime, which was implemented under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977.
After the ruling, the U.S. administration introduced a uniform 10% tariff on imports from all countries for 150 days beginning Feb. 24, delaying an earlier planned meeting between chief negotiators. (Source: IANS)
