New Delhi– India and the United States have made significant progress toward finalizing the first phase of a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement, following high-level meetings held in Washington, D.C. from April 23 to 25. The discussions, led by India’s Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, aim to conclude the initial tranche of the agreement by fall 2025, according to a statement from India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry released Tuesday.
The recent talks build on earlier discussions held in New Delhi in March, as both countries work to deepen economic engagement and streamline trade relations across multiple sectors.
“During the meetings in Washington, the team had fruitful discussions on a wide range of issues, including tariff and non-tariff matters,” the ministry said. “The discussions focused on charting a pathway toward concluding the first tranche of a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement by fall 2025, including opportunities for early mutual wins.”
While expert-level meetings have already been held virtually, the statement noted that in-person sectoral negotiations are expected to begin by the end of May.
These discussions are part of a broader effort aligned with the Leaders’ Statement issued in February 2025, which emphasized the importance of strengthening U.S.-India economic ties and enhancing supply chain integration through a formal trade agreement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump, during Modi’s visit to Washington in February, committed to fast-tracking trade negotiations. The leaders also unveiled an ambitious new target—Mission 500—to more than double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.
The trade talks are taking place against the backdrop of President Trump’s push to realign global trade relations under the threat of new tariffs. On Monday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said India was among the countries likely to finalize a trade deal soon, noting that several major trading partners had submitted “very good” proposals to avoid punitive tariffs.
Speaking to a U.S. news channel, Bessent confirmed that President Trump would be “intimately involved” in each of the trade negotiations with 15 to 18 key trading partners, emphasizing the need to reach agreements in principle soon. (Source: IANS)
