“The US discussions with the Assistant USTR happened two days back. They were productive and are working on the right track…Talks are moving positively.. India and the US are natural partners,” he said. A team of American trade officials led by Brendan Lynch, assistant US trade representative for South and Central Asia, met Indian trade negotiators in New Delhi Tuesday to discuss India-US trade ties including on the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
“First of all, we have no problem with any country. The negotiations are going on, there is no trade fiction…we look at it as a situation. We have very strong ties. America is our trusted partner. Prime Minister Modi and President Trump are very good friends. So that is a strong relationship. And India never looks at one relationship from the lens of another relationship. For us, it’s a multi dimensional engagement,” he said. This was the first in-person meeting after President Donald Trump 25% imposed penal tariffs on New Delhi over purchases of Russian oil effective August 27 over and above the 25% tariffs imposed earlier.
India has said that the daylong discussions were positive, and both sides agreed to push for an early and mutually beneficial conclusion of the agreement. “It was decided to intensify efforts to achieve early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement,” the commerce and industry ministry had said in a statement after a seven-hour meeting with US officials.
The two sides had in February announced their aim to conclude the first tranche of the BTA by fall this year and five rounds of talks have taken place in that direction.