India–U.S. Trade Talks Resume In Washington With Focus On Phase-One Deal

India and the United States have restarted trade discussions with a three-day meeting in Washington beginning April 20, as per Moneycontrol. The Indian delegation is led by chief negotiator Darpan Jain and marks the first in-person engagement between the two sides since October 2025.

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The talks are meant to finish the first phase of a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with both countries working to solve problems that are still open in all areas.

Broader Strategic Engagement

Ahead of the negotiations, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held discussions with U.S. officials, reviewing bilateral ties across trade, technology, defence, and strategic coordination, according to India’s foreign office, as cited by Moneycontrol.

They show that there has been consistent interaction between the two countries in different policies while negotiating on trade issues.

Issues Related To Tariffs And Laws

The latest talks have involved issues related to tariffs and other trade issues. According to Moneycontrol, the U.S. may raise issues linked to investigations under Section 301 of its trade law, which India has opposed and sought to have withdrawn.

Earlier proposals included reducing tariffs on Indian goods from as high as 50% to around 18%, along with the removal of an additional 25% tariff linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, as reported by Moneycontrol.

India had also been considering reducing tariffs on some products of the U.S., such as agricultural items, edible oil, and raw materials for industries.

Policy Changes Prompt Review

Recent policy developments in the U.S. have influenced the negotiation framework. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling led to the introduction of a uniform 10% tariff on imports from multiple countries, which has altered earlier trade assumptions, according to Moneycontrol. Both countries are now revisiting earlier proposals in light of these changes.

Key Areas Of Negotiation

Discussions continue on several longstanding issues, including U.S. access to India’s agriculture sector and dairy sectors, India’s request for tariff relief on exports, and differences related to regulatory standards and non-tariff barriers, as per Moneycontrol.

The negotiations also include potential increases in imports from the U.S. in sectors such as energy, aviation, and technology over a multi-year period.

The ongoing negotiations in Washington are centred on developing the trade terms and resolving the outstanding problems between the two nations through the proposed agreement.