New Delhi: The India-US trade relationship has become bitter due to crude oil imports from Russia and the US tariff dispute. Now, efforts are being intensified to speed up the stalled trade relations between India and the US. Trade talks will be held between India and the US on September 16. US Chief Trade Negotiator Brendan Lynch will arrive in India on Monday with his team. There will be discussions all day on Tuesday, with the focus on bilateral trade agreements.
Commerce Ministry Secretary Sunil Barthwal has confirmed this. He said that India is now ready for Free Trade Agreements (FTA) not only with the United States but also with many other countries. We are actively engaging with various missions to inform other countries about our GST reforms and ongoing FTA initiatives. Our trade negotiation capacity has improved significantly, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are now in place for many products. Barthwal said, we are well prepared to move forward with more FTAs.
According to Rajesh Agarwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, 5 rounds of trade talks have already taken place between India and the US. The sixth round was originally scheduled for August 25-29, 2029 but was postponed. Now this week’s meeting will mark the sixth round of talks. The Ministry of External Affairs will also participate in the discussion, which will also include other stakeholders. Main expectations from the meeting:
One of the main expectations of the US side is that India should promise to reduce crude oil imports from Russia during the trade discussion. Responding to US tariff concerns, the Commerce Secretary said that India is in constant dialogue with the US and is trying to understand their point of view. He said that India is actively working on all major issues including tariffs.
Talks after Trump-Modi intervention:
New momentum in trade talks has come after the September 10 post of former US President Donald Trump. Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said, “I am pleased to announce that India and the United States are continuing negotiations to resolve trade barriers between the two countries. I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the coming weeks. I am confident there will be no difficulty in achieving a successful conclusion for both great countries!”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also responded to this post and wrote, “India and America are close friends and natural partners. I am confident that our trade talks will pave the way to open the immense possibilities of India-US partnership. Our teams are working to conclude these discussions as soon as possible. I am also looking forward to talking to President Trump. We will work together to ensure a brighter, more prosperous future for the people of both countries.” Trade figures till August: India’s merchandise exports registered a positive growth of 6.7 percent in August 2025, reaching $ 35.1 billion, as against US $ 32.89 billion in August 2024. At the same time, imports declined by 10.12 percent to $ 61.59 billion, down from US $ 68.53 billion in the same period last year. As a result, the trade deficit also narrowed significantly to $26.49 billion, down from $35.64 billion in August 2024.
The US remains India’s top export destination and exports to the US have grown significantly over the past year. Between April and August 2025, India exported goods worth $40.39 billion to the US, up from $34.21 billion in the same period last year. In addition, imports from China in August 2025 also increased over the same period last year. According to the Commerce Ministry, the 14th round on India-EU FTA is scheduled from October 6 to 10 in Brussels. Trade figures till August:
India’s merchandise exports registered a positive growth of 6.7 per cent in August 2025, reaching $35.1 billion, as against $32.89 billion in August 2024. At the same time, imports fell by 10.12 per cent to $61.59 billion, down from $68.53 billion in the same period last year. As a result, the trade deficit also narrowed significantly to $26.49 billion, down from $35.64 billion in August 2024.
The US remains India’s top export destination and exports to the US have increased significantly compared to last year. Between April and August 2025, India exported goods worth $40.39 billion to the US, up from $34.21 billion in the same period last year. Moreover, imports from China in August 2025 have also increased compared to the same period last year. According to the Commerce Ministry, the 14th round on India-EU FTA is scheduled from October 6 to 10 in Brussels.
