First tranche of US-India trade deal to be finalised before end of year: Centre

NEW DELHI: The first tranche of the much-anticipated

Bilateral Trade Agreement

(BTA) between India and the United States is set to be finalised before the end of 2025, said the Commerce ministry on Saturday.
This development comes after four days of high-level discussions between officials from India’s Department of Commerce and the Office of the

US Trade Representative

in New Delhi.
The talks, held from March 26-29, were a follow-up to the India- US

joint statement

of February 13, 2025, in which both nations pledged to expand bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. Officials have agreed to begin sectoral expert-level engagements virtually in the coming weeks, paving the way for an early negotiating round in person.
During the discussions, both sides exchanged views on increasing

market access

, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, and strengthening

supply chain integration

to ensure mutual economic benefits.

The meeting in New Delhi follows Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to Washington, DC, from March 4-6, during which he met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Subsequent video conferences between the two sides helped maintain momentum leading up to the latest negotiations.
The successful outcome of the talks marks a major step in advancing India-US

economic cooperation

, fostering prosperity, security, and innovation. Officials emphasized that the anticipated BTA will unlock new opportunities for businesses, boost bilateral investment, and enhance economic integration between the two nations. Both India and the US expressed satisfaction with the progress made and reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing collaboration.