Trade negotiations between <a title="India US Trade" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/business/india-cautious-on-trade-deals-amid-us-tariffs/21278" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India</a> and the <a title="US India trade" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/corporate/us-slams-india-brazil-on-trade-barriers/19950" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United States</a> appear to have entered the final stretch, with Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal indicating that the talks are &ldquo;progressing well&rdquo; and that both sides are &ldquo;converging&rdquo; on most key issues. His statement comes just hours after Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal asserted that New Delhi would not compromise national interests for the sake of speed in signing trade agreements.
Agrawal&rsquo;s comments suggest that a mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement (BTA) &mdash; first proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former US President Donald Trump on 13 February &mdash; could soon materialise. While he refrained from specifying a timeline, officials familiar with the matter indicated that discussions are now centred on resolving non-tariff barriers and finalising the draft language of the pact.
According to the joint statement issued in February, the first tranche of the proposed trade deal was intended for conclusion between September and November, aligning with the US fall season. Senior government officials confirmed that negotiators from both sides remain in constant touch through virtual consultations, with &ldquo;no new obstacles&rdquo; emerging to delay progress.
Sources tracking the developments believe the geoeconomic climate may now be tilting in India&rsquo;s favour. They note that New Delhi&rsquo;s recent decision to scale down Russian crude imports, amid Western sanctions on Moscow&rsquo;s energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil, could have softened Washington&rsquo;s stance on certain contentious issues.
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Both nations are seen as complementary economies, with India&rsquo;s vast manufacturing and services potential balancing the US&rsquo;s technological and capital strength. Experts believe that an agreement could bolster supply chain resilience and mark a strategic deepening of Indo-US economic partnership.
Meanwhile, Minister Goyal, speaking at the Berlin Global Dialogue, reiterated India&rsquo;s commitment to balanced negotiations. &ldquo;We are in active dialogue with both the European Union and the United States, but India does not do deals in haste or under pressure,&rdquo; he said, reflecting New Delhi&rsquo;s calibrated and pragmatic trade approach.
As talks accelerate, the coming weeks may prove decisive for an agreement that could redefine India-US trade relationsand signal a renewed chapter in global economic cooperation.

Commerce Secretary hints at imminent India-US trade pact after minister’s cautious remark

India, US Near Breakthrough on Trade Deal

Commerce Secretary hints at imminent India-US trade pact after minister’s cautious remark

October 25, 2025 | 06:13 IST