An Indian delegation led by Chief Negotiator Darpan Jain will visit Washington from April 20 to 22 to resume talks on the India-US trade deal, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal announced on Wednesday.
The move comes as the government separately unveiled an aggressive 2026 roadmap for several major free trade agreements (FTAs), including the long-awaited deal with the UK, which is now expected to come into force by May.
The visit to Washington follows a 40-minute phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Negotiators will focus on finalising the legal text of the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) while addressing the impact of the new 10 per cent global import tariff introduced by the US in February
According to officials, India and the US will work together to finalise timelines and next steps as part of the ongoing engagement. The fresh bout of negotiations comes amid evolving tariff rules in the US, with officials indicating that clarity on Washington’s trade stance remains crucial before any final deal. Earlier this year, India and the US agreed on an interim arrangement to reduce tariffs on Indian exports to 18 per cent.
According to data released by the Commerce Ministry, India’s exports to the US stood at $87.31 billion during April 2025-March 2026, registering only a marginal rise from $86.51 billion in the previous financial year. However, imports from the US increased sharply to $52.90 billion from $45.63 billion. Consequently, India’s trade surplus with the US declined to $34.41 billion in FY26, down from $40.88 billion in FY25.
Other FTAs
Agarwal gave detail on the progress of various other FTAs “We expect the free trade agreement related to the UK to come into operation in May sometime,” the Commerce Secretary said. Further, the negotiations for the India-EU FTA are also set to conclude with the signing expected before the end of the current calendar year. The Ministry aims to bring the pact into force within the current financial year.
“FTA with the EU is likely to be signed before the end of this calendar year and try to get it into operation before the end of this financial year,” Agarwal said. India concluded negotiations for the India-New Zealand FTA, where domestic processes for signing and ratification now take place. Reviews for existing agreements continue, including the 11th round of negotiations for the India-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Negotiations continue with Australia for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) and with Sri Lanka for an Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA).
Agarwal highlighted other active discussions involving Peru, Chile, Israel, Canada, and the Eurasian Economic Union. Terms of Reference are finalised for negotiations with the Philippines, Maldives and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Published on April 15, 2026