India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement talks to resume today

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, who shared India's trade data for March earlier this month, had said that the Indian delegation will visit the United States from April 20 to 22.

He stated that negotiations for the BTA will resume this month, marking a key step in advancing trade ties between the two countries.

India and the United States had announced on February 7 this year that they have reached a framework for an Interim Agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade.

The statement said that the framework reaffirms the countries' commitment to the broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations, launched by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025, which will include additional market access commitments and support more resilient supply chains.

It also said that the Interim Agreement between the United States and India will represent a historic milestone in the partnership between two countries, demonstrating a common commitment to reciprocal and balanced trade based on mutual interests and concrete outcomes.

The Commerce Secretary had said last month that India remains engaged with the US for a mutually beneficial trade agreement.

"On February 7, 2026, the 25% additional ad-valorem tariffs imposed by the U.S. on certain Indian exports, citing India's imports of Russian oil, were removed," he had said.

He had also said that pursuant to the US Supreme Court judgement of February 20, 2026, invalidating reciprocal tariffs, the reciprocal tariffs are no longer in force.

"The US Government has issued Executive Orders imposing 10% tariffs pursuant to Section 122 of the Trade Act, 1974 on certain products from all countries. India remains engaged with the US side for a mutually beneficial trade agreement," he had said.

Sources had said the US is trying to recreate a tariff architecture globally and once that is created, will be better to sign the trade deal. They added that trade agreement would be signed when a new architecture of tariffs globally is implemented by the US.

Commerce Ministry officials had said in March that India and the United States remain engaged for a mutually beneficial trade agreement, and there is no hold off in bilateral engagement. (ANI)