New Delhi, April 15: — India and the United States are set to begin a fresh round of virtual trade talks this week, with in-person negotiations expected to take place in the second half of May, a senior Commerce Ministry official confirmed on Tuesday.
The negotiations follow a four-day meeting held between March 26 and 29 in which an Indian delegation led by Additional Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal met US counterparts. The talks occurred against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s threat of reciprocal tariffs on Indian imports — a move paused for 90 days starting April 3.
Officials from both sides have agreed on the terms of reference for negotiating a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), aiming to finalize the first phase of the pact by September or October.
Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said India had chosen the path of trade liberalization with the US. “If we follow this path, India’s trade with the US will grow. There will be more opportunities than concerns,” he noted.
While September-October has been tentatively set as the timeline for finalizing the agreement, officials said the deal could be sealed earlier if talks progress swiftly.
