USTR team to visit India on June 23-24 for trade pact talks, tariff treatment in focus

The Office of the United States Trade Representative is set to send a delegation to India on June 23-24 for talks on the proposed India-US trade agreement, with preferential tariff treatment among the main issues on the table.

Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said the discussions will focus on preferential tariff treatment and related trade matters as the two sides try to move the negotiations forward.

A new round of talks

The planned visit gives the trade talks a near-term date after earlier rounds of engagement this month. A U.S. team led by Brendan Lynch had already visited India from June 1-4 for trade discussions, according to earlier reporting.

Reporting on June 8 said India was seeking preferential tariff treatment, protection from future tariff hikes and more clarity around U.S. trade probes in the negotiations.

What is still unresolved

The broader India-US trade effort has centered on tariff treatment, market access and the scope of an interim understanding between the two countries. Earlier reporting also linked progress on the first tranche of a bilateral deal to the U.S. Section 301 investigations.

The June 23-24 meetings are expected to be the next checkpoint in the talks. Whether they produce a joint statement, draft text or only another negotiating round remains unclear.

Next focus

The immediate question is whether the Delhi meetings narrow the gap on tariff treatment and related trade measures. Any official confirmation or readout from the USTR or India’s commerce ministry would be the next sign of progress.