US team may reschedule August 25 visit, trade talks with India
Decision to defer August 25 meeting comes as the US is set to impose a 50 pc duty on Indian goods from August 27, further complicating the proposed trade agreement
The US is likely to reschedule the August 25 visit of its team to India for the next round of negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade deal between the two countries.
Reports quoting official sources, however, said that no formal communication in this regard has been received, nor has a fresh date been shared.
So far, five rounds of talks have been completed for the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) and the US team was scheduled to visit India for the sixth round of talks.
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Concerns over hiked tariffs
The negotiations were scheduled from August 25-29.
"This visit is likely to be rescheduled," the official, who did not wish to be named, told PTI.
Deferment or rescheduling of the meeting assumes significance as the US has announced a staggering 50 per cent duty on Indian goods.
The Times of India, quoting sources, said that Indian authorities were hoping to get clarity on the deal during the scheduled meeting, but the postponement has complicated matters as Trump’s tariffs are set to kick in from August 27.
What the US wants?
The US is pressing for greater market access in politically sensitive areas such as the agriculture and dairy sectors, which India cannot accept as it affects the livelihood of small and marginal farmers.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has categorically stated that he will not compromise the interests of farmers and cattle rearers.
The US and India have announced plans to conclude the first phase of BTA by fall (September-October) of 2025. The two countries are aiming at more than doubling the bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030, from the present USD 191 billion.
India-US trade
While the 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods entering the US has come into effect from August 7, an additional 25 per cent, on India was announced as a penalty for buying crude oil and military equipment from Russia, which will come into effect from August 27.
During April-July, the country's exports to the US increased 21.64 per cent to USD 33.53 billion, while imports rose 12.33 per cent to USD 17.41 billion, according to commerce ministry data.
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The US was the largest trading partner of India in the April-July period (USD 12.56 billion bilateral trade) 2025-26. India's exports to America have been recording positive growth since April this year.