India-US bilateral trade talks progressing as per leaders’ directives says officials
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – According to official sources on Tuesday said that the bilateral trade agreement negotiations between India and the United States are progressing in line with the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.
The senior officials finalized the Terms of Reference said that two more rounds of talks were held during India’s visits to the US in April, May, and June.
The first round of negotiations began during the US delegation’s visit to India in the last week of March.
According to media reports the government officials stated, “Our team is back in the US to carry out the fifth round of negotiations on the bilateral trade agreement. The agreement is progressing as per the decisions of our leaders and the Terms of Reference agreed upon by both countries.”
The officials emphasized, “Since day one, we have maintained that the joint statement issued on 13 February 2025 by the two leaders outlined that both countries would negotiate a bilateral trade agreement. The first tranche is expected by the fall of 2025. In pursuit of this goal, we have commenced active trade negotiations.”
On tariffs, the report noted that while global tariff concerns have been widely discussed, actual implementation remains at the announcement stage. No new tariffs have taken effect so far, except in the case of China.
The competitive positioning of Indian exports has not undergone any significant shift, it added.
The Global Trade Research Initiative advised India to resist mounting trade pressure from the US under President Trump, urged caution to avoid compromising critical sectors, particularly agriculture.
The think tank warned that entering into a trade deal under pressure could lead to “irreversible consequences,” especially considering the unpredictability of such agreements in the current US political climate.
