Overview
- The commerce ministry rejected reports of a pause and said India and the United States remain engaged on a mutually beneficial trade agreement.
- Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal called delay reports baseless and said India has protected sensitive sectors in the proposed pact, including bans on GM products and exclusions for dairy and poultry.
- A planned negotiators’ meeting in Washington was postponed after the US Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs, and the US has applied a temporary 10% tariff on all imports for 150 days from February 24.
- Fresh Section 301 investigations announced on March 11 now cover 16 economies including India, introducing possible new US trade measures as India prepares its response.
- New Delhi is seeking clarity on reciprocal tariff rates after earlier expectations of an 18% US rate on Indian-origin goods, while US Ambassador Sergio Gor said a critical minerals agreement is very close with an announcement expected in the coming months.