New Delhi [India], November 11 (ANI): Talks for a trade deal between India and the United States are progressing well, and the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the US is expected to be the “most detailed and WTO-compliant,” a government official said on Tuesday.
The official stated that negotiations with the US are being conducted carefully, taking into account sensitive issues and sectors, and indicated that another round of talks may not be necessary.
“The talks for the India-US Bilateral Trade Deal are progressing well. The BTA with the United States would be most comprehensive, most detailed, and WTO-compliant. Negotiations are being carried out keeping in mind sensitive issues and sensitive sectors, and another round of negotiations may not be required,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said that the government is working to finalize a fair, equitable, and balanced trade deal with the United States while preparing for every possible contingency.
Speaking at the Udyog Samagam-2025 event held at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi, Goyal emphasized that national interest would remain the top priority in finalizing the trade agreement.
“We are, of course, trying to work out a fair, equitable, and balanced trade deal. If that happens, it could happen any day—it could happen tomorrow, next month, or next year. But as a government, we are preparing for every contingency,” Goyal said.
Goyal had earlier told ANI that discussions on the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement were “going on very well,” though he acknowledged that “many sensitive and serious issues” required time to resolve.
“Talks are going on very well. There are many sensitive issues, many serious issues, so naturally, it takes some time,” Goyal had said when asked for an update on the ongoing discussions.
A government official recently indicated that India and the US are “very near” to finalizing the first tranche of the ambitious Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
The BTA, formally proposed in February following directives from leaders of both nations, aims to more than double bilateral trade volumes—from the current USD 191 billion to USD 500 billion by 2030.
Talks for the Bilateral Trade Agreement were announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States in February this year. “The leaders announced plans to negotiate the first tranche of a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by fall of 2025,” stated the joint communiqué issued during the visit.
US President Donald Trump had earlier announced 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, which took effect on August 1, even as hopes remained for an interim India-US trade deal that could have helped avert higher tariffs. A few days later, he imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff, raising the total to 50 per cent, citing India’s continued imports of Russian oil. (ANI)
About The Author
