India-US trade talks: Indian team to visit Washington from April 20; move follows PM Modi-Trump call

A day after PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump reviewed bilateral ties and key economic engagement, an Indian delegation will travel to Washington from April 20 for trade talks, Additional Secretary Darpan Jain said, PTI reported.The delegation is expected to travel next week, sources told PTI, as both sides work towards resolving pending issues before finalising the legal text of the pact. The visit follows a nearly 40-minute phone conversation between the two leaders on Tuesday (April 14), during which they discussed cooperation across sectors and stressed the importance of keeping critical energy routes secure.Sharing details, Modi said, “Received a call from my friend President Donald Trump. We reviewed the substantial progress achieved in our bilateral cooperation in various sectors. We are committed to further strengthening our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership in all areas.”US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said the leaders reviewed ties and discussed several key areas of cooperation, including potential deals.Echoing the positive tone, Gor posted, “A very positive and productive call! Stay tuned…”The call — their first since the US-Iran ceasefire and the collapse of talks in Islamabad -- also reviewed progress in bilateral ties and explored ways to deepen cooperation. He also indicated that economic engagement could deepen further, saying “some big-ticket deals, including on energy, are expected between India and the US in the next few days and weeks.”The visit is Imporatant as India and the US have already finalised the framework for an interim trade agreement, with negotiations now entering a crucial stage.The agreement was initially slated to be signed in March, but evolving tariff dynamics in the US — following a Supreme Court ruling against President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariff measures — altered the timeline.Subsequently, the US imposed a 10% tariff on all countries for 150 days starting February 24, putting all trading partners, including India, on a similar footing.Earlier, under the agreed framework for the first phase of the deal, the US had indicated tariff reductions on India to 18%, giving it a relative advantage over competing economies.However, the revised tariff structure has narrowed that edge, prompting both sides to reassess key provisions before proceeding.The meeting between chief negotiators, which was earlier scheduled for February to finalise the agreement text, had been postponed last month in view of these changes.The upcoming round of talks is also critical as the US is undertaking two investigations under Section 301.On March 12, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched a Section 301 probe covering 60 economies, including India and China, examining whether policies related to forced labour imports are discriminatory or restrictive to US commerce.Separately, on March 11, the USTR initiated another Section 301 investigation into policies and industrial practices of 16 economies, including India and China, adding another layer of complexity to ongoing trade negotiations.