India and the United States are set to hold high-level trade talks on June 23-24 to finalize the first phase of a proposed interim trade agreement.
NEW DELHI – India and the United States will engage in another round of high-level trade discussions on June 23-24 as both nations strive to finalize the initial tranche of a proposed interim trade agreement.
Senior officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) are scheduled to visit New Delhi for talks with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and other senior Indian government officials.
During a recent monthly trade data briefing, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal expressed optimism about the upcoming discussions. He stated, “Our expectation is that the discussions will be centered around giving final touches to the first tranche of the deal as well as the larger Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) that has been under discussion.”
This upcoming visit follows a previous round of negotiations held in New Delhi from June 2-4, where USTR officials and Indian negotiators addressed various topics, including trade in goods, non-tariff measures, customs and trade facilitation, and economic security alignment, among other areas of mutual interest.
In February, India and the United States outlined a framework for an interim agreement in a joint statement, reaffirming their commitment to negotiating a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement.
The ongoing discussions reflect both countries’ dedication to enhancing their trade relationship and addressing key issues that impact economic cooperation.
According to IANS, the outcome of these talks could significantly influence the trajectory of U.S.-India trade relations in the coming months.