Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 7: A high-level US trade team led by Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer will visit India next week in a last-mile effort to resolve pending differences and seal the long-awaited bilateral trade agreement (BTA) before December-end, a source familiar with the talks said.
Switzer, along with Brendan Lynch, the US chief negotiator for the pact, is expected to meet Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal for what officials describe as the final round of talks ahead of the signing. Formal negotiations began earlier this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February visit to Washington.
The upcoming discussion comes close after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India, where both nations agreed to boost bilateral trade to USD 100 billion by 2030 and expand domestic currency settlements—developments that have added urgency to India’s ongoing trade conversations with global partners.
Officials emphasised that the US delegation’s visit should not be viewed as a fresh round of negotiations, but rather as a high-level meeting to iron out remaining political-level differences. India sent its final proposal to Washington last month, and the two sides have not undertaken technical talks for almost a month.
Meanwhile, the commerce ministry’s NAFTA division has already begun preliminary work on the separate trade deal proposed with Canada.
India’s rising oil imports from the US have significantly narrowed the bilateral trade gap—from nearly USD 4 billion in March to around USD 1.5 billion now—addressing one of Washington’s key concerns ahead of the BTA.
Last week, Commerce Secretary Agrawal expressed confidence that the trade pact would be wrapped up within the year. “It’s only a matter of time… A political call needs to be taken,” he said, adding that very few issues remained outstanding.
US President Donald Trump too signalled that a breakthrough was close. On November 11, he announced that the US would lower tariffs on India, noting that high duties were largely due to India’s Russian oil purchases. “It’s being reduced very substantially. We will bring the tariffs down at some point,” he said at a White House briefing.
During the swearing-in of Sergio Gor as US Ambassador to India and Special Envoy to South and Central Asia, Trump emphasised the importance of the Indo-US partnership, calling India a vital economic and strategic ally with the world’s fastest-growing middle class. He also said Gor had already built a strong rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
As both sides push to close the deal, officials say only political approval remains before India and the US can announce one of their most significant trade breakthroughs in recent years.