Next round of India-US trade talks from Dec 10

New Delhi: India and the United States will commence three-day talks on the first phase of their proposed bilateral trade agreement here from December 10, sources said. "The three-day talks will start on December 10. It will conclude on December 12, and it is not a formal round of talks," said the sources. The US team will be led by Deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR) Rick Switzer.

This visit of the US officials marks their second trip since the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff and an additional 25 per cent penalty on Indian goods entering the American market due to the purchase of Russian crude oil. On September 16, the US officials last visited India. On September 22, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also led an official delegation to the US for trade talks. Goyal had also visited Washington in May.

While the USA's chief negotiator for the pact is Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, the Indian side is led by Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce Darpan Jain. The talks are also important as Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal has recently stated that India is hopeful of reaching a framework trade deal with the US this year itself, which should address the tariff issue to the benefit of Indian exporters.