India and the United States are moving closer to finalizing a new bilateral trade agreement that could open doors for deeper economic ties between the two nations. The proposed deal covers 19 key areas including tariffs customs procedures, and non-tariff barriers.
Leading the effort from India’s side is Rajesh Agrawal, the country’s chief negotiator from the Department of Commerce. He and his team will travel to Washington next week for early-stage talks aimed at shaping the final agreement.
The two nations are working within a 90-day tariff pause an opportunity created by a recent announcement from US President Trump. This temporary break in new tariffs is seen as a window to reach an interim deal that could later expand into a full trade pact.
If successful, the agreement could significantly boost trade between India and the US. Officials are optimistic that the deal could help narrow the trade surplus and increase bilateral trade volumes to $500 billion by 2030 more than twice the current level.
Both sides are expected to explore mutual duty concessions and align their ambitions in the coming rounds of talks.