India and the United States are currently engaged in discussions aimed at finalising a trade deal, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Thursday, noting that India’s exports to the US continue to post
positive growth despite the imposition of high tariffs.
“Both sides are engaged (in trade deal talks)…and both sides feel that there can be a trade deal,” Agrawal told reporters.
He added that engagement between the two countries has continued at senior levels, including a virtual meeting held in December last year between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The comments underline ongoing efforts by New Delhi and Washington to deepen trade ties even as tariff-related challenges persist.
US exports have grown year-on-year in the first nine months of the (fiscal) year, Agrawal told reporters, adding total exports could be more than $850 billion in the current fiscal year ending March.
Meanwhile, according to the latest official data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India’s merchandise trade deficit widened slightly in December 2025, driven by a strong rise in imports even as exports remained broadly flat.
India’s goods exports in December 2025 stood at $38.51 billion, which is 1.86% higher than the $37.8 billion recorded in the same month last year. In contrast, imports jumped to $63.55 billion, compared with $58.43 billion in December 2024.
