Washington DC [US], July 14, 2025: A high-level delegation from India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry has arrived in Washington DC to advance negotiations on a much-anticipated Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the United States, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The new round of talks, scheduled to begin Monday morning (US time), will continue over four days and aims to narrow gaps on key issues, including agriculture and automobiles, which have posed hurdles in previous discussions.
Rajesh Aggarwal, India’s Chief Negotiator and Special Secretary in the Commerce Ministry, is expected to join the discussions on Wednesday. The advance arrival of the Indian team signals a structured approach, with initial meetings likely focused on setting the agenda and ironing out procedural details before senior officials engage in deeper negotiations.
The ongoing talks gain added significance as the Trump administration has deferred imposing additional tariffs on several nations, including India, until August 1. This extension provides both countries crucial time to bridge differences and work toward a mutually beneficial trade pact beyond the original July 9 deadline.
Both India and the United States have expressed strong interest in expanding bilateral trade ties. The two nations have set an ambitious target of boosting trade volumes to USD 500 billion by 2030.
The United States remains one of India’s largest trading partners, with both sides increasingly seeking to diversify their economic cooperation and reduce dependencies on other global markets.
Over the past several months, officials from India’s Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative have held multiple rounds of dialogue to pave the way for a comprehensive trade agreement.
Trade analysts note that a successful BTA could unlock significant new opportunities for businesses on both sides and mark a major milestone in Indo-US economic relations.
