India holds 'constructive' talks with US on bilateral trade agreement

Guwahati: The Indian delegation led by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal held “constructive” meetings with US officials during its visit to New York this week, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement.

The discussions focused on various aspects of bilateral trade and explored the possible contours of a future Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

However, the statement did not confirm the next date for formal negotiations or indicate whether such a date has been set.

The Indian delegation was in the United States from September 22 to 24, during which Minister Goyal met Ambassador Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative, and Sergio Gor, US Ambassador-designate to India.

Apart from government officials, the Indian team also engaged with key U.S.-based businesses and investors to promote trade and investment between the two countries.

“The delegation had constructive meetings with the US government on various aspects of the deal,” the statement said, adding that both sides agreed to continue engagements with the aim of reaching an early conclusion of a mutually beneficial trade agreement.

The sixth official round of negotiations, originally scheduled in New Delhi during the last week of August, had been called off following the imposition of reciprocal and penalty tariffs — totaling 50% — by the U.S. on certain Indian imports.