On Friday, India stated that its officials engaged in “constructive” talks with their US counterparts during a Washington visit this week, with both sides agreeing to continue discussions to finalise a mutually beneficial trade deal soon.
“Both sides exchanged views on possible contours of the deal,” the commerce ministry said in a statement.
A delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited the US from September 22 to 24 and met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and ambassador-designate Sergio Gor.
Goyal and Greer also joined a meeting between India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson said.
Focus On Trade And Tariffs
“The focus of the discussion was on trade and tariffs. Other aspects of our bilateral relationship were also reviewed,” foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular briefing.
“With regard to H1B, you are aware that the Ministry and our Embassy in DC have been in active touch with the US Administration. Clarifications/FAQ were issued by the US side subsequent to the new measures. This is still an evolving situation and we remain engaged at various levels,” the spokesperson said.
Delhi Pushing To Remove Additional Tariffs
A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said New Delhi is pushing for the removal of the 25% additional tariff imposed by Washington on goods from India for its buying of Russian oil, with both sides aiming to conclude the first part of the deal by autumn.
On August 27 President Donald Trump announced a 25% punitive levy on Indian imports, doubling overall tariffs on goods imports from the country to 50%, as part of Washington’s pressure campaign on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
“Like many other countries we are expecting a bilateral deal with lower than 25% tariff,” the official said, adding the next round of negotiations would be scheduled soon in either country.
“The situation is tough but we are hopeful we will reach an agreement that resolves all issues, including US concerns on Russian oil purchases and our concerns such as H1B visas and pharmaceutical tariffs,” the official added.
(With inputs from Reuters)
