As India and the United States commenced their first in-person trade agreement negotiations in New Delhi on Wednesday, US trade officials clarified that India would not be treated like China, Mexico, or Canada regarding tariffs. The discussions aim to lay the foundation for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with a roadmap expected to be finalized by autumn 2025.
The meeting comes ahead of former US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs taking effect on April 2, reigniting trade tensions with China, Canada, and Mexico. However, officials emphasized that India’s trade concerns are primarily tariff-related and are being resolved amicably.
The three-day negotiations are led by India’s Commerce Ministry Additional Secretary Rajesh Agarwal and US Assistant Trade Representative Brendan Lynch. The framework for structured negotiations is expected to be finalized by Friday.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to visit Washington in April to further trade discussions, reinforcing India’s commitment to strengthening economic ties with the US. In February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump set an ambitious target to boost bilateral trade from $200 billion to $500 billion by 2030.
