Overview
- Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said negotiations are going well but cautioned that resolving multiple sensitive and serious issues will take more time.
- Five negotiation rounds have been completed since March, with teams now refining the wording of the first-tranche agreement.
- An Indian delegation led by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal held three days of talks in Washington that concluded on October 17, followed by virtual consultations on October 23.
- The White House said President Trump prioritizes ties with India and that trade teams are in very serious discussions, echoing reports of convergence on many points.
- The proposed pact targets lifting bilateral trade from about $191 billion to $500 billion by 2030, as current U.S. tariffs have already weighed on India’s September exports to the U.S.