May 13, 2025
Discussions will be held with USTR Jamieson Greer and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, focusing on an interim trade deal by fall 2025
Chief negotiators will hold separate meetings from May 19 to 22 to push forward technical discussions
The agenda includes market access, rules of origin, non-tariff barriers, and India’s proposed retaliatory duties on US products
A 90-day pause in US tariffs gives negotiators time to reach common ground, with the US holding off on an additional 26% tariff until July 9
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is set to lead a senior delegation to Washington from May 17 to 20 to advance discussions on the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the United States. The Indian team will engage with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick as part of efforts to finalise an interim trade deal that could be concluded by the fall of 2025.
The talks are expected to centre on achieving early, mutually beneficial outcomes. Chief negotiators from both sides will also hold a separate round of discussions from May 19 to 22 to delve deeper into the deal’s technical aspects.
Among the key issues on the agenda are improving market access, clarifying rules of origin, and addressing non-tariff barriers. India’s proposal to impose retaliatory tariffs on selected US goods in response to American duties on steel and aluminium will also be discussed.
A temporary reprieve in tariff escalation has created room for progress. The United States has suspended an additional 26% duty on Indian goods until July 9, although a 10% base tariff continues to apply. This 90-day window is seen as critical for moving negotiations forward.
To maintain momentum, Indian Chief Negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce, and Assistant USTR for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch had met in Washington last month for a three-day round of preparatory talks.
India is keen on securing duty concessions for labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, plastics, chemicals, gems and jewellery, and agricultural products. In contrast, the US is seeking market access for industrial goods, electric vehicles, wines, dairy items, and agricultural exports like apples and tree nuts.
With a strategic pause on tariffs and both nations pushing for sectoral gains, the coming weeks are expected to shape the contours of a significant step forward in India-US trade relations.
Source: CNBC