India, US to begin discussions on a Bilateral Trade Agreement this week as tariff war takes 90-day pause

NEW DELHI: India and the United States are set to being the talks on Bilateral Trade Agreement this week, ANI reported citing sources. The initial round of discussions would be held virtually, with an in-person meeting scheduled for the second half of May, when the Indian trade delegation is expected to visit the United States amid the 90-day pause on tariff implementation.

Meanwhile, commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal said that reciprocal tariffs present both a challenge and an opportunity for India. "There are both concerns and opportunities for India in terms of the current tariffs, but India has already taken a path where we will be going for trade liberalisation with the US," he said.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump agreed to deepen bilateral ties, with both nations currently working on a trade agreement that is anticipated to be finalized by this fall.

In March, the two nations conducted trade talks in New Delhi as part of ongoing efforts to negotiate the first phase of a comprehensive, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). Officials from department of commerce and the US trade representative’s office met over four days starting March 26, building on the two nations’ shared goal of expanding bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 through the successful conclusion of the BTA.

Both India and the US have expressed satisfaction with the meeting’s outcomes and reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration.