US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer concluded a three-day visit to New Delhi on Wednesday, where he led an official US delegation and held multiple rounds of discussions with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
According to a statement by Ministry of Commerce, the two sides conducted a comprehensive review of key elements of the proposed agreement, including market access, digital trade, supply-chain resilience, reduction of non-tariff barriers and cooperation in strategic sectors.
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“Both sides noted substantial progress by negotiating teams in recent months and welcomed the momentum from successive technical and ministerial-level engagements,” the commerce ministry said.
The discussions focused on “pathways to conclude an interim agreement as an important milestone toward a comprehensive BTA,” the statement said.
India and the US also reiterated their commitment to a pact that is “balanced, commercially meaningful, and delivers tangible benefits for businesses, farmers, workers, and consumers in both countries.”The two countries said they remain focused on expanding bilateral trade, promoting innovation and strengthening trusted supply chains amid shifting global trade dynamics.
“Both sides expressed confidence that ongoing negotiations will further deepen economic ties and strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” the statement added.
Goyal also took to X to appreciate efforts of both teams in advancing trade discussions.
The long road for India-US trade deal
India and the US launched negotiations for a Bilateral Trade Agreement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington in February 2025.
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The two leaders unveiled “Mission 500”, an initiative to raise bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, and agreed to negotiate a multi-sector trade pact. Since then, officials have held multiple rounds of negotiations covering tariff reductions, market access, digital trade and supply-chain cooperation.
Both sides are now working toward an interim agreement as a stepping stone to a comprehensive BTA.
However, the road to a deal has not been smooth. Agriculture, dairy market access, tariff reductions on industrial products, digital trade provisions and US reciprocal tariffs have been among the key points of contention.
India has remained cautious about opening politically sensitive sectors such as agriculture, while seeking greater market access for labour-intensive exports including textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods and pharmaceuticals.
Even as negotiators have narrowed differences in recent months, some of the most difficult issues remain under discussion, making the proposed interim pact a crucial milestone toward a broader trade agreement.
India’s outbound shipments to the US grew marginally 0.92 per cent to $87.3 billion during the last fiscal year, while imports increased 15.95 per cent to $52.9 billion. The trade surplus declined to $34.4 billion in 2025-26 from $40.89 billion in 2024-25.