Overview
- - The U.S. Embassy said Senator Steve Daines concluded a January 17–19 visit with meetings involving EAM S. Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, lawmakers, and business leaders in Delhi.
- - Daines pressed Montana pulse farmers’ priorities and sought favorable terms in any trade agreement, following his and Senator Kevin Cramer’s January 16 letter to President Trump over India’s 30% yellow-pea duty.
- - Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said negotiating teams are in continuous contact and the first tranche of a bilateral trade deal is close to finalisation, though no timeline has been set.
- - Piyush Goyal met Daines and new U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor on January 19 for what he called a productive exchange on the bilateral relationship and ongoing trade talks.
- - U.S. officials highlighted energy and tech cooperation, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaling interest in expanded civil nuclear ties and Ambassador Gor saying India will be invited next month to join the PaxSilica silicon supply-chain initiative.