India's Goyal to visit U.S. to advance bilateral trade pact talks

India's commerce minister Piyush Goyal will visit the United States on September 22 to advance negotiations on a proposed bilateral trade agreement, the commerce ministry said Saturday, following a daylong meeting in New Delhi earlier this week between U.S. and Indian chief negotiators. The trip, which ministry officials said will include Deputy Chief Negotiator Rajesh Agrawal and other senior trade officials, aims to build on constructive talks held on September 16 and push toward an early conclusion of a mutually beneficial pact.

Officials described the September 16 meeting, led by U.S. chief negotiator Brendan Lynch and India’s Rajesh Agrawal, as positive and forward looking. The session lasted about seven hours, the commerce ministry said, and both sides agreed to intensify efforts to resolve outstanding issues. Delegations have completed five formal rounds of talks to date; a planned sixth round in late August was postponed amid tensions after the United States imposed additional duties on Indian imports.

Reports and officials said the talks are intended to address longrunning differences over tariff parity, market access for Indian goods such as pharmaceuticals and...