High-Stakes Showdown: Indian Team Lands In Washington to Seal Billion-Dollar Trade Deal with US

A senior delegation from India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry has arrived in Washington, D.C., to continue key negotiations toward finalising a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the United States.

According to officials speaking to ANI, the latest round of talks will begin Monday morning (U.S. time) and continue over the course of four days. Rajesh Aggarwal, Special Secretary in the Commerce Ministry and India’s chief trade negotiator, is expected to join the discussions on Wednesday.

The early arrival of the Indian advance team indicates a phased and structured negotiation process. Initial meetings are likely focused on finalising the agenda and ironing out procedural details, ahead of in-depth discussions involving senior officials later in the week.

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Key differences between the two countries remain in sectors such as agriculture and automobiles, where both sides are working toward a mutually beneficial agreement.

The talks are being held under the backdrop of the Trump administration's decision to delay additional tariffs on several trading partners—including India—until August 1. This extension offers both sides additional time to reach a settlement, beyond the original July 9 deadline.

Both nations are eager to broaden their trade ties and deepen economic engagement. The United States is among India’s top trading partners, and India continues to attract growing interest from American companies looking to expand internationally.

Last week, officials confirmed that India would send a delegation to the US to continue negotiations. Both countries have committed to expanding their bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, with a final trade agreement seen as a major step in that direction.

Over the past year, representatives from India’s Department of Commerce and the Office of the US Trade Representative have held multiple rounds of talks in pursuit of a comprehensive deal.