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A two-member delegation of trade and customs officials from the United States held bilateral discussions with officials from the Commerce Ministry in New Delhi on November 23, according to government sources.
The focused dialogue centred on streamlining customs procedures, removing non-tariff administrative bottlenecks, and advancing trade facilitation frameworks between the two economies. According to government sources, the two-day technical engagement forms part of ongoing efforts to bolster bilateral trade infrastructure, digital customs integration, and supply chain security. The discussions come amid ongoing negotiations between the two countries over the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), aimed at improving market access, reducing trade barriers and strengthening bilateral economic ties. India and the US have been working towards finalising an interim trade agreement as part of the broader BTA negotiations. On October 26, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that the two countries had completed most of their discussions on the proposed trade agreement and were working on the remaining details. "We have concluded most of the discussions and are fine-tuning the agreement," Goyal said during his visit to the Netherlands. Earlier, during his visit to Mumbai on October 20, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said India and the United States were very close to finalising the proposed trade agreement, with only a few issues remaining to be resolved. Speaking to reporters, Rubio said, "We're very, very close." "I think there's a small number of items to wrap up, so I think that will happen shortly," he added. The BTA negotiations were launched in February 2025 following discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. (ANI)
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