India, US set for fresh trade talks later this month
Washington/New Delhi: The United States has said it is preparing to host an Indian delegation in Washington later this month for talks on a bilateral trade agreement framework finalised earlier this year, as both countries step up efforts to deepen economic ties.
US Ambassador to India Sergei Gor announced the upcoming visit following discussions with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer during his ongoing trip to the United States. In a message posted on X, Gor described the meeting as “highly productive” and focused on advancing trade priorities in South and Central Asia. “The United States and India have previously agreed to a trade deal, and we look forward to welcoming an Indian delegation to Washington later this month,” Gor said.
The planned visit comes soon after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri launched the India-US Trade Facilitation Portal in Washington, a move aimed at supporting the two countries’ shared ambition of reaching USD 500 billion in bilateral trade. New Delhi and Washington had in February outlined a framework for an interim trade agreement after months of negotiations. The framework seeks to promote reciprocal trade, improve market access, and strengthen supply chain resilience through measures such as expanded preferential access, stricter rules of origin, and efforts to address non-tariff barriers across sectors. During his visit, Gor held a series of meetings with senior US officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, whom he described as “a true leader who’s done an incredible job in handling complex economic issues.”
He also met Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau to discuss commercial diplomacy in South and Central Asia, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, infrastructure development, and critical minerals. Gor noted that Landau is looking forward to visiting India, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Talks with Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg focused on energy cooperation, including next steps on “Pax Silica” and strengthening secure supply chains for critical technologies. “Big things ahead for the US and India as it relates to Pax Silica,” Gor said.
In addition, Gor met Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers to discuss initiatives aimed at building partnerships and delivering tangible outcomes.
Earlier this week, Gor also met India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, who said both sides are working actively to achieve the strategic objectives set by their leaders.
Misri, currently on a three-day visit to Washington, held meetings with senior Commerce Department officials and is scheduled to meet Landau and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker.
Separately, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had recently met Greer on the sidelines of a WTO ministerial meeting in Cameroon, where both sides reviewed next steps in the bilateral trade agreement negotiations and discussed ways to expand economic cooperation.
