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USTR Rick Switzer to Visit New Delhi for Key Trade Talks; India-US Agreement Enters Crucial Phase
Trade Talks: Negotiations on a trade agreement between India and the US are expected to resume this week. It is reported that a delegation led by US Deputy Trade Representative (USTR) Rick Switzer will meet with his Indian counterpart in New Delhi this week to discuss the proposed bilateral trade agreement. Let's find out the updates on this matter.
A team led by US Deputy Trade Representative Rick Switzer is set to meet his Indian counterpart Rajesh Aggarwal in New Delhi this week to deliberate on the proposed bilateral trade agreement. The US Chief Negotiator for the agreement, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, will hold negotiations with India's Chief Negotiator and Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce Darpan Jain.
Sources said, "A delegation from the Office of the US Trade Representative, led by Deputy US Trade Representative Ambassador Rick Switzer, will visit India from December 9-11, 2025. Discussions on all trade-related issues will take place on the 10th and 11th." This visit is significant as India and the US are working to finalize the first phase of the agreement.
This is the second visit by US officials to India since the announcement of the 50% tariff.
This is the second visit by US officials since the imposition of a 25% tariff and an additional 25% penalty on Indian goods entering the US market due to the purchase of Russian crude oil. US officials last visited India on September 16.
On September 22, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also visited the US with an official delegation for trade talks. Goyal also visited Washington in May. These talks are also significant because Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal recently stated that India hopes to reach a trade agreement with the US this year itself, resolving the tariff issue to the benefit of Indian exporters.
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Aggarwal explained that a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) will take time. He said, "India is in protracted negotiations with the US on a framework trade agreement that will address the mutual tariff challenges facing Indian exporters. India and the US are conducting two parallel negotiations—one on a framework trade agreement to address tariffs and the other on a comprehensive trade agreement. In February, the leaders of both countries directed officials to negotiate the agreement."
The first phase of the agreement was planned to be completed by the winter of 2025. Six rounds of negotiations have taken place so far. The agreement aims to double bilateral trade from the current US$191 billion to US$500 billion by 2030. The United States will remain India's largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024-25, with bilateral trade reaching US$131.84 billion (exports US$86.5 billion).
The US contributes approximately 18 percent to India's total merchandise exports, 6.22 percent to imports, and 10.73 percent to total merchandise trade. According to exporters, this agreement is significant because India's merchandise exports to the US declined for the second consecutive month in October. Currently, it has declined by 8.58 percent to US$6.3 billion due to heavy tariffs imposed by Washington.
