India-U.S. trade talks target first tranche by fall 2025

A senior Indian trade delegation will travel to Washington this week for talks aimed at finishing the first tranche of a proposed bilateral trade agreement with the United States by the fall, Indian officials said on Monday. The visit follows several months of stop-start negotiations and comes as New Delhi seeks to expand energy and gas purchases from the United States as part of broader efforts to resolve outstanding disputes.

The team, led by Chief Negotiator and Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, arrived in Washington to continue discussions that Indian officials said are progressing well. Negotiators have completed five rounds of talks since leaders directed officials to begin formal negotiations in February 2025, and both sides have set a target to conclude the initial tranche of the pact in October or November 2025. An official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private, said India expects to sign the first tranche by next month.

Talks were briefly suspended in July and August after Washington imposed reciprocal and penalty tariffs that together amount to a 50 percent levy on many Indian goods. U.S. officials at the time cited concerns about...