New Delhi/Washington: An interim trade deal between India and the US is likely to be signed within the next 48 hours - days before the July 9 deadline on Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs is set to expire. Sources said the negotiations were in the final stage, with India digging in its heels on its stance of not opening the agriculture and dairy sectors completely to the US.

On the other hand, India has sought greater access to labour-intensive industries, including textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, plastics, and chemicals. The deal has been entangled in hard bargaining, with the Indian trade delegation, led by special secretary Rajesh Agarwal, having to extend its stay in Washington.

The key sticking point has been the Trump administration's demand for wider access to India's agricultural sector.

According to sources, India has refused to budge on lowering tariffs on genetically modified corn, soybeans, rice and wheat grown in the US.

It has also pushed back against opening up the dairy sector, which employs over 80 million people in India. India's hard stance on agriculture is due to the politically sensitive nature of the sector, with fears that wider foreign access would trigger another round of protests by farmers.