India-US trade deal: Indian team to visit Washington for another round of talks; Donald Trump’s tariff deadline looms
NEW DELHI: An Indian commerce ministry team is set to visit Washington soon for another round of talks with the United States over the ongoing tariff dispute and a proposed bilateral trade agreement, a government official said on Thursday.The dates for the visit are yet to be confirmed, but the team is likely to visit Washington next week, according to sources quoted by PTI.During this upcoming visit, discussions will focus on both the interim and first phase of the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
‘Trying to negotiate and finalise a deal with the USA’
India is working to finalise a trade agreement with the United States, said Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce and the chief negotiator for the proposed India-US bilateral trade pact, on Thursday.Speaking at an export logistics event, Agrawal said, “Now we are integrating with major markets also… we just concluded an agreement with the UK, we are in an advanced stage of negotiations with the European Union, we are trying to negotiate and finalize a deal with the USA.”He further said that the goal is to complete the first phase of the deal by September-October this year, with an interim agreement expected before that.Agrawal noted that India has successfully implemented over 14 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) involving 26 countries.He also shared that India is exploring trade agreements with Latin American countries, including Chile and Peru, and is in talks with New Zealand.“We have done (trade pact) with Australia and UAE. We are in negotiations with New Zealand… So, the idea is that we are also integrating in a big way with the major trading partners and major economies,” he added, according to PTI.Earlier this month, an Indian team led by chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal had concluded a previous round of discussions in Washington.Also read: Donald Trump’s tariff war: Which 21 countries got US President’s letters? Check full list
What are the India-US trade deal key hurdles
India and the US have been holding talks for several months, aiming to finalise the first phase of a bilateral trade deal by this fall (September–October).India aims to secure enhanced market opportunities in the US for its workforce-driven sectors, particularly textiles and electronics. The US, in turn, seeks permission to export genetically modified (GM) crops and cattle feed to India, which remains a delicate matter for the Indian government.These demands pose key challenges, especially since many Indian farmers rely on small-scale, subsistence farming. Meanwhile, the US continues to resist lowering import duties below the 10% mark.This visit is crucial, especially as the US has extended the suspension of additional duties on Indian goods, currently set at 10% until August 1.Earlier, Trump had announced a 26% tariff on Indian imports in April 2025, but the rate was reduced temporarily for a 90-day period starting April 10.On Monday, Trump said the US was “close to making a deal with India,” after announcing new tariffs for 14 countries, including Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, South Korea, and Japan, which are also set to kick in from August 1.Also read: US vs Brazil: Trump slaps 50% tariff; President Lula hits back, says ‘will not accept tutelage’
