New Delhi: In a sign of thawing ties, India and the United States will resume discussions on their bilateral trade agreement during a meeting on Tuesday. US trade negotiator Brendan Lynch, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, arrives in New Delhi tonight. He will meet Commerce Ministry officials led by India’s chief negotiator and special secretary Rajesh Agrawal. The session will focus on deciding the next steps for the trade talks.
This marks the first in-person meeting between the two sides, although several virtual discussions have already taken place. Sources said Tuesday’s dialogue will focus strictly on trade, while non-trade issues will be handled separately at diplomatic levels.
Talks originally scheduled for August 25–29 were postponed after the US imposed a penalty tariff on India for purchasing Russian oil, raising duties on Indian imports to 50 percent. The decision strained relations and stalled progress on trade negotiations.
Recently, however, the tone has shifted. US President Donald Trump said he looked forward to a “successful conclusion” with his “very good friend, Prime Minister Modi.” Modi echoed the optimism, stating that the talks could unlock the “limitless potential” of the India–US partnership.
