Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is reportedly preparing for an imminent visit to Washington, D.C., as trade discussions between India and the United States continue to make promising strides. This upcoming trip follows recent productive, day-long meetings in New Delhi between U.S. Chief Negotiator Brendan Lynch and his Indian counterpart, Rajesh Agrawal, focusing on a proposed bilateral trade agreement.
Sources indicate that the Commerce Minister’s visit is expected to occur within the next few days to further these vital trade negotiations. On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, India’s Commerce Ministry confirmed the positivity of the discussions with the visiting U.S. delegation, emphasizing both sides’ commitment to accelerating a swift and mutually beneficial conclusion to the trade deal. The Ministry’s statement highlighted a joint decision to “intensify efforts to achieve early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement.”
These talks gain particular significance given the U.S. imposition of a substantial 50% tariff on Indian goods. This recent visit by high-ranking U.S. trade officials marks their first since the initial 25% tariff, followed by an additional 25% penalty, was levied on Indian products entering the American market, ostensibly linked to India’s procurement of Russian crude oil.
The initiative for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) was set in motion in February when leaders from both nations instructed their respective officials to commence negotiations. The initial goal was to finalize the first phase of this pact by the autumn of 2025. To date, five rounds of negotiations have been completed. The overarching ambition of this agreement is to more than double the current bilateral trade volume of $191 billion, targeting an impressive $500 billion by 2030.
Minister Goyal previously visited Washington in May, engaging in discussions with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The U.S. has consistently been India’s largest trading partner for the past four fiscal years (2024-25), with bilateral trade reaching $131.84 billion, including $86.5 billion in Indian exports. The U.S. currently accounts for approximately 18% of India’s total goods exports, 6.22% of its imports, and 10.73% of the country’s overall merchandise trade. Just recently, on Thursday, September 18, Minister Goyal expressed optimism, stating that the trade talks between India and the U.S. are progressing positively and heading in the right direction.