US Delegation To Visit India In Aug. To Continue Trade Talks

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI– A US delegation is slated to visit India in August for the next round of negotiations concerning a proposed bilateral trade agreement, an official confirmed to the media on July 21. This upcoming visit follows the conclusion of the fifth round of talks held last week in Washington.

The discussions are led by India’s Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce. Both nations are aiming to finalize an interim trade deal before August 1, which marks the end of the suspension period for the 26 percent “Trump tariffs” previously imposed on various countries, including India. 

India has maintained a firm stance on US demands for duty concessions on agricultural and dairy products, historically not granting such concessions in free trade agreements. Farmer associations in India have also urged the government to exclude agriculture-related issues from the trade pact.

India is seeking the removal of the 26 percent additional tariff, along with the easing of tariffs on steel and aluminum and the auto sector.  India is pushing also for duty concessions in labor-intensive sectors including textiles, gems and jewelry, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, grapes, and bananas. The US is seeking concessions on industrial goods, electric vehicles, wines, petrochemical products, various agricultural goods, dairy items, apples and tree nuts.