A high-level delegation of senior Indian officials is scheduled to visit the United States this week for pivotal trade discussions. These talks are a crucial part of ongoing negotiations for a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) between the two nations, which are reportedly making significant progress, a top official confirmed recently.
The initiative for a BTA began in February 2025 when leaders from both countries mandated officials to start negotiations. The initial goal was to finalize the first phase of the agreement by the fall (October-November) of 2025. To date, five rounds of intensive negotiations have already taken place, laying the groundwork for the upcoming discussions.
The upcoming visit by the Indian team underscores the continued commitment of both nations to enhancing their trade relationship. This follows a previous visit last month by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to New York, where he engaged in comprehensive trade discussions. During that visit, Minister Goyal met with United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer and U.S. Ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor. Both sides agreed to press forward with negotiations to ensure an early and mutually beneficial conclusion to the Bilateral Trade Agreement.
These negotiations take on added importance in light of recent trade tensions. The U.S. previously imposed a 25% reciprocal tariff, along with an additional 25% penalty, on Indian goods entering the American market. These measures were in response to India’s purchase of Russian crude oil. Currently, Indian goods face a cumulative 50% additional import duty in the U.S.
The proposed trade pact aims to significantly boost economic ties, with an ambitious target to more than double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, from its current value of $191 billion. For the fourth consecutive year in 2024-25, the U.S. remained India’s largest trading partner. During this period, bilateral trade reached an impressive $131.84 billion, with Indian exports accounting for $86.5 billion. The U.S. plays a vital role in India’s global trade landscape, representing approximately 18% of India’s total goods exports, 6.22% of its imports, and 10.73% of its overall merchandise trade.