PTI New Delhi

India, US talks are happening at different levels covering both trade and non-trade issues, an official said. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is in the US for trade talks. He is accompanied by senior officials of the ministry, including special secretary and India's chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal. "Talks are happening at different levels," the official said, adding the minister led team is expected to return from the US later this week.

Goyal has held discussions with his US counterpart.

This visit comes in the backdrop of recently concluded day-long discussions in New Delhi between US Chief Negotiator Brendan Lynch and Agrawal on the proposed bilateral trade agreement. On September 16, the commerce ministry stated that the day-long discussions with the visiting US team on a bilateral trade deal were positive, and both sides agreed to push for an early and mutually beneficial conclusion of the agreement.

The visit of the high-ranking US trade officials came for the first time after the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff and an additional 25 per cent penalty on Indian goods entering the American market for buying Russian crude oil. In February this year, leaders of the two countries directed officials to negotiate a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

It was planned to conclude the first tranche of the pact by the fall (October-November) of 2025. So far, five rounds of negotiations have been held. The pact is aimed at more than doubling the bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030 from the current USD 191 billion. Goyal visited Washington earlier in May for the trade talks. He held deliberations with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington.

‘Negotiations underway to advance BTA’

Goyal is currently in the United States leading high-level trade negotiations as both nations work toward concluding a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement, a government official confirmed Wednesday.Goyal, accompanied by a delegation of senior ministry officials including Special Secretary and India's Chief Negotiator Rajesh Agrawal, is engaged in discussions covering both trade and non-trade issues with American counterparts.

The ministerial team is expected to return to India by the end of this week.The current visit follows productive day-long talks held in New Delhi on September 16 between US Chief Negotiator Brendan Lynch and Agrawal.The Commerce Ministry described those discussions as "positive," with both sides agreeing to accelerate efforts toward an "early and mutually beneficial conclusion" of the proposed trade pact.