Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is set to travel to Washington soon as India and the US restart stalled trade talks. The visit signals new momentum after months of strain over tariffs and oil trade issues.
According to PTI sources, the trip may take place “in the next few days.” It follows a one-day meeting in India between US Chief Negotiator Brendan Lynch and Indian negotiator Rajesh Agrawal. Their talks focused on shaping a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) that aims to push trade to $500 billion by 2030.
The commerce ministry said the meeting was “constructive,” with both sides agreeing to speed up efforts for a fair resolution. The seven-hour session was the first face-to-face meeting since the US imposed a 50% tariff on Indian imports, linked to India’s oil purchases from Russia.
Despite these tensions, the mood has improved. President Donald Trump recently called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “friend,” and Modi responded positively. Goyal also described the talks as “productive” and called the US a “trusted partner.”
This will be Goyal’s second Washington visit this year. The US remains India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade at $131.84 billion in 2024-25. Officials target the first phase of the BTA by late 2025.
