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India-US Trade Talks Gain Momentum as Delegation Set to Visit Washington This Month
Ayesha Fatima | April 9, 2026 8:11 PM CST

The United States Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, on Thursday said an Indian delegation will travel to Washington later this month to advance discussions on a bilateral trade deal between the two countries.

Sharing the update on X, the US envoy described his meeting with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer as “highly productive”, focusing on pushing forward President Donald Trump’s trade priorities in South and Central Asia.

“The United States and India have previously agreed to a trade deal, and we look forward to welcoming an Indian delegation to Washington later this month,” Gor said.

Sitharaman to Skip Visit, Focus on Parliament Agenda

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who was expected to be part of the delegation, will not attend the Washington visit. Instead, she will remain in India to participate in Parliament proceedings, including the introduction of bills aimed at fast-tracking the implementation of 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

‘Historic’ Deal Amid Criticism

India and the US had announced a bilateral trade agreement on February 2, 2026, following months of negotiations. Both President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had described the pact as “historic”, although it drew criticism from opposition parties in India.

Key Terms: Tariff Cuts, Major Investments

Among the central provisions of the deal is a reduction in tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18%. The agreement also outlines a commitment by India to invest $500 billion over five years in US sectors, including energy, aviation, metals, coal and technology.

According to a White House fact sheet, the framework also includes India scaling back its purchases of Russian oil and petroleum products. However, amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the US has allowed limited purchases of Russian oil that it says would not generate financial gains for Moscow.


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