The United States and India are moving closer to finalising a bilateral trade agreement, with fresh negotiations underway in Washington, DC, according to an ANI report that cited senior officials familiar
with the discussions.
A senior US official was quoted as saying that talks between the two sides remain constructive and are progressing in a positive direction.
“The Trump administration and India continue to have positive and productive discussions towards a finalised trade deal,” the official said while responding to a query on the current status of negotiations in the US capital.
Indian representatives have arrived in Washington for the latest round of discussions, signalling forward movement in the ongoing trade engagement.
Another official aware of the talks, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that the agreement is now at an advanced stage, with most of the major issues already settled.
“Most of it is almost done,” the official told ANI.
“There aren’t many loose ends left.”
FINAL ISSUES EXPECTED TO BE RESOLVED
According to the report, the upcoming meetings are expected to centre on resolving the few remaining differences that still need to be addressed before the agreement can be finalised.
Officials suggested that the number of pending issues is limited, indicating that the broad structure of the deal has largely been agreed upon.
The Indian delegation is set to hold discussions with officials from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR).
Brendan Lynch, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, is leading the American negotiating team, while India’s delegation is headed by Darpan Jain, Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, who has been closely involved in the negotiations.
Officials said that the participation of senior representatives from both countries demonstrates the importance being placed on the proposed agreement and reflects the momentum that has built up around the talks in recent weeks.
EARLIER FRAMEWORK LAID FOUNDATION FOR DEAL
The latest developments come after both countries announced on February 7 that they had agreed on a framework for an interim arrangement focused on reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade terms.
As reported by ANI, the framework reaffirmed the commitment of both sides to continue working toward a broader bilateral trade agreement (BTA).
The negotiations for the BTA were initiated by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025, with the objective of improving market access and strengthening economic cooperation between the two nations.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also confirmed that an Indian trade delegation would be visiting the United States this week for discussions related to the BTA.
In a post on X, he described the expected agreement as mutually beneficial.
“The Indian trade delegation will be arriving in Washington this week. A great step to finalise our bilateral trade deal. A win-win for both nations!” he wrote.
INDIA SEEKS IMPROVED MARKET ACCESS
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also indicated that progress has been made on the first tranche of the proposed agreement.
Speaking on the sidelines of the India-Korea Business Forum in New Delhi, Goyal said efforts are underway to secure improved access for Indian goods in the US market compared to competitors.
“We have almost finalised our free trade agreement, the first tranche of the bilateral trade agreement with them. We are trying to close the Ts and dots on that and work out what would be the mechanism by which India can get a preferential access, market access in the US market compared to our competitors,” Goyal told reporters, as cited by ANI.
The United States and India have been engaged in long-running trade discussions aimed at lowering tariff barriers and expanding economic engagement.
If concluded, the agreement is expected to mark a significant development in trade relations between the two economies.
