Overview
- U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will arrive in New Delhi on June 22 and hold talks with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on June 23–24 to put 'final touches' on the interim first tranche of a phased bilateral trade agreement.
- Negotiators aim to finalise market access and tariff commitments after an earlier chiefs‑level round from June 1–4, with both sides targeting execution of the first tranche around mid‑July if outstanding issues are resolved.
- The talks come while the USTR has opened Section 301 investigations into India for excess industrial capacity and proposed a 12.5% tariff on goods alleged to be linked to forced labour; those measures remain under public comment and could become part of the pact’s leverage or constraints.
- The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in February that struck down parts of the Trump administration’s reciprocal tariff framework forced Washington and New Delhi to recalibrate the February joint framework and renegotiate tariff certainty for Indian exporters.
- Beyond the deal text, New Delhi seeks preferential tariff terms so Indian suppliers keep a competitive edge if U.S. duties become uniform, and leaders including Prime Minister Modi and President Trump are expected to touch on the pact at the upcoming G7 meeting.