India, US to hold new round of bilateral trade deal talks in Delhi from June 1-4 | Today’s news
A delegation from the United States will visit New Delhi from June 1-4 for the next round of talks on the proposed India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), as both sides step up efforts to finalize an interim trade arrangement and move forward with broader trade talks.
The delegation, led by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, is expected to discuss with Indian officials key areas including market access, non-tariff barriers, customs and trade facilitation, investment promotion and economic security alignment, an official statement said on Wednesday.
The visit builds on the understanding reached in February. In a joint statement on February 7, the two countries said they had agreed on a framework for an interim agreement aimed at ensuring mutual and mutually beneficial trade. The framework also reaffirmed their commitment to negotiate a broader BTA.
As part of the ongoing engagement, the Indian delegation traveled to Washington DC on 20-23 in April for a personal meeting with the American counterparts in order to advance the negotiations.
The latest round of talks comes amid growing strategic and economic engagement between India and the US, with both sides seeking to deepen bilateral trade ties and strengthen supply chain and economic security cooperation.
Rubio pressure
Trade talks have added weight following US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s four-day official visit to India from May 23 to 26. During his visit, Secretary Rubio met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held extensive bilateral discussions with Secretary of State Dr. S. Jaishankar. He briefed the Prime Minister on continued progress in bilateral cooperation across key sectors, including defence, strategic technology, trade and investment, energy security, connectivity, education and people-to-people relations.
His visit also included a meeting of the Quad Foreign Ministers in New Delhi on May 26, which strengthened the strategic rapprochement between the two democracies. Rubio’s engagement provided a strong political impetus to the ongoing economic dialogue and set a positive tone for the US delegation’s visit.
Amit Thapar, President of Ganga Acrowools Limited, a major exporter to the US, said, “The long-awaited bilateral trade agreement is eagerly followed. We hope to sign it this time and that India will benefit from it, especially in the context of the textile industry. The US is and will continue to be the largest consumer and consumption market in the world and therefore an important market for every manufacturer.”
Business resilience
Bilateral trade between India and the US has shown strong resilience. US merchandise trade with India is estimated to reach $149.4 billion in 2025, according to US Census Bureau data. US exports to India were US$45.6 billion, while imports from India were US$103.8 billion, resulting in a US goods trade deficit of US$58.2 billion. In January-March 2026, exports of goods from the US to India were $12.5 billion, while imports from India reached $23.01 billion. In March, India exported goods worth $8.02 billion and imported goods worth $4.35 billion to the US.
India’s major exports include pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, gems and jewelry, and telecommunications equipment, while key imports from the US include aircraft components, electronics, petroleum products, and defense equipment.
