The latest round of high-level talks between India and the United States on the proposed interim trade agreement has ended without giving any clarity of a timeline for the deal to be finalized. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal led the talks during his two-day visit to New Delhi by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Key Highlights
- India and US reviewed market access, digital trade, and tariff issues without finalising interim agreement.
- Despite substantial progress, key differences remain unresolved ahead of crucial US tariff deadline.
The talks are unfolding just a few days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed ways to improve bilateral trade relations during the G7 Summit in the Italian city of Biarritz. But officials declined to say if major sticking points had been addressed.
Focus on Market Access and Digital Trade
The two sides discussed the development of the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and discussed avenues to finalise an interim trade pact, according to the India's Commerce Ministry. Issues discussed included market access, digital trade, supply-chain resilience, the elimination of non-tariff barriers and general economic cooperation. Both parties restated their goal of reaching an agreement that's balanced, commercially viable and is good for the businesses, farmers, workers and consumers of both countries.
The ministry said that the two sides have made “substantial progress” in recent technical and ministerial visits, but did not provide any indication of which issues would be resolved.
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Tariff Uncertainty Continues
The negotiations remain complicated by ongoing tariff-related disputes and US Section 301 investigations into several countries, including India. New Delhi has sought assurances that any future trade pact would protect Indian exporters from unilateral trade actions and provide a competitive tariff advantage over rival exporting nations.
India is also keen to secure favourable market access before the expiration of Washington’s temporary tariff measures, which remain a critical factor in ongoing negotiations.
The United States remains India’s second-largest trading partner and its largest export destination. During FY26, India’s exports to the US reached $87.3 billion, while imports from the US rose 17.2% to $53.48 billion, underscoring the growing significance of the economic relationship.
Despite the absence of a breakthrough, both sides indicated that negotiations will continue as they work toward finalising the first phase of the broader Bilateral Trade Agreement.
