In a move that may put bilateral trade talks back on track, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Thursday said a high-level Indian delegation will visit Washington later this month, signalling a renewed push to finalise the proposed interim trade deal.
The development comes after negotiations slowed amid uncertainty over US tariff measures after the US Supreme Court invalidated the ‘reciprocal tariffs’.
“The United States and India have previously agreed to a trade deal, and we look forward to welcoming an Indian delegation to Washington later this month,” Gor said in a post on X, following his meeting with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The visit will also provide India an opportunity to raise concerns over two ongoing Section 301 investigations launched by the US Trade Representative: one related to excess manufacturing capacity and the other to forced labour, which could potentially lead to more tariffs.
Details unclear
Sources in the Indian government confirmed the delegation visit, but said it was still at a planning stage. “The details of the visit of the Indian trade delegation to Washington are being worked out,” the source said.
The two nations announced a preliminary bilateral trade deal framework on February 2, 2026, but it did not get formalised or signed as the US Supreme Court gave its judgement on February 20 invalidating the reciprocal tariff regime.
The US has indicated that it considers the framework deal, under which India agreed to eliminate or sharply reduce tariffs for most industrial goods and also lower duties on a wide range of US agricultural and food products, as good as done.
Better bargain
But India wants more tariff concessions so that it maintains its advantage over competing countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, sources said.
“In the framework deal, Washington offered to bring down reciprocal tariffs on India to 18 per cent (from 25 per cent), which was slightly lower than those on competing countries. But now that reciprocal tariffs are gone and all countries face a uniform short-term tariff of 10 per cent, India’s tariff concessions under the deal must put it at an advantage over the others,” the source explained. Otherwise, the trade deal will not make sense.
New Delhi is also likely to draw attention to the ongoing Section 301 probes, involving India among other countries, as it could potentially negate tariff advantages of the trade pact.
Separately, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is on a three-day visit to Washington this week to engage senior US officials on trade, defence and global developments, amid ongoing trade investigations, fluid tariff measures and a volatile security situation in West Asia.
Published on April 9, 2026