A US delegation is scheduled to visit India in August for the next phase of negotiations regarding a proposed bilateral trade agreement, as confirmed by an official to the media on July 21. This forthcoming visit comes after the conclusion of the fifth round of discussions that took place last week in Washington. The negotiations are being led by Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce of India. Both countries are striving to finalize an interim trade deal prior to August 1, which signifies the end of the suspension period for the 26 percent “Trump tariffs” that were previously imposed on several nations, including India. India has taken a strong position against US requests for duty concessions on agricultural and dairy products, as it has historically refrained from granting such concessions in free trade agreements. Additionally, farmer associations in India have urged the government to exclude agriculture-related matters from the trade agreement. India is advocating for the elimination of the 26 percent additional tariff, as well as the reduction of tariffs on steel, aluminum, and the automotive sector. Furthermore, India is also seeking duty concessions in labor-intensive industries such as textiles, gems and jewelry, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, grapes, and bananas. On the other hand, the US is requesting concessions on industrial goods, electric vehicles, wines, petrochemical products, various agricultural items, dairy products, apples, and tree nuts.
