Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: With only 11 days left before the United States implements its new reciprocal tariff regime, India on Friday confirmed that it is actively negotiating with Washington to formulate a framework for a bilateral trade agreement. The deal aims to address concerns surrounding market access and tariffs.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while addressing the weekly media briefing, stated that India continues to engage with the US administration at multiple levels. “India and the US are in the process of taking bilateral trade negotiations forward,” he said.
According to Jaiswal, the two governments are working toward a structured framework for the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), which will focus on expanding trade ties, easing market access, minimizing tariff and non-tariff barriers, and strengthening supply chain integration.
He also noted that India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry had visited the US from March 3 to 7 to hold consultations with senior officials, including the US Secretary of Commerce and the US Trade Representative.
Although Jaiswal did not directly address questions regarding a possible waiver from the upcoming reciprocal tariffs, he reiterated that discussions are ongoing. “You will have to wait for the talks to come to a closure,” he remarked.
The upcoming tariff move, announced by President Trump under his “America First” policy, has stirred fears of a global trade war. On Wednesday, Trump said he maintains a “very good” relationship with New Delhi but also emphasized his dissatisfaction with India’s current tariff structure.
Following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump in Washington DC last month, both countries announced that the first phase of the BTA would be negotiated by fall 2025.
Meanwhile, Indian officials have highlighted the broader context, pointing to successful recent agreements with countries like Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, and Norway. Similar negotiations are also underway with the European Union and the United Kingdom.
