Overview
- Five rounds of face-to-face talks since March ended on July 17 without breakthroughs on agriculture, automobiles or digital-trade rules
- President Trump’s 26% surcharge will take effect on August 1 unless an interim agreement is reached
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has reaffirmed the deadline but said negotiations can continue after tariffs begin
- A US delegation led by the Office of the US Trade Representative is scheduled to visit India in the second half of August for a sixth round of talks
- Both sides remain committed to finalizing the first phase of a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement by fall 2025