NewsGate Press Network

There is no let-up in efforts by India to keep US administration engaged to ensure a mutually beneficial agreement despite of tariff concerns.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday the 21st March 2025 said that India and the US are making significant strides in their bilateral trade negotiations, with the aim of enhancing market access, and reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers.
Randhir Jaiswal, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) during his weekly presser on Friday stated that the two governments are actively working to build a framework for the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), which will be a multisector agreement beneficial to both nations.

“India and the US are in the process of taking bilateral trade negotiations forward. The two governments are actively working to build a framework for the BTA, which would aim to expand trade, enhance market access, reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers…,” said Jaiswal signalling a possible breakthrough in ongoing negotiations.
This development follows the 14th Ministerial-level meeting of the India-US Trade Policy Forum (TPF), which Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush  Goyal and US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai co-chaired.

The TPF has been instrumental in forging robust bilateral trade ties and enhancing the two countries’ overall economic relationship.

The BTA’s key areas of focus include reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, enhancing market access, expanding trade, and promoting cooperation in critical sectors.
Jaiswal also mentioned Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal’s recent visit to the US from 3-7 March, during which time he met with his US Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, and his US Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, to advance discussions on the agreement.