Indian Negotiators May Extend US Stay Beyond June 30 As Talks Continue

India’s negotiating team, currently in Washington for trade talks with the United States, may extend its stay beyond June 30 as discussions remain ongoing, government sources told NDTV Profit.

The delegation, led by Special Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, was originally scheduled to wrap up its visit by June 27, but the possibility of a longer engagement is now on the table as both sides seek to finalise a limited trade agreement before the July 9 deadline.

Both countries remain "keen, not desperate" to close the deal and that national interests remain paramount.

US continues to demand for duty concessions and market access in agriculture and dairy but that remains challenging given that India is still a large agrarian economy, with farmers depending on minimum support prices for their livelihoods.

In exchange, India is seeking duty concessions for labour-intensive sectors like textiles, gems and jewellery, leather goods, garments, plastics, chemicals, shrimp, oil seeds, grapes, and bananas in the proposed trade pact.

The urgency stems from a temporary tariff pause agreed upon earlier this year. If an agreement isn’t reached by July 9, the US could reinstate up to 26% tariffs on select Indian goods, a move that may hurt Indian exporters across sectors including steel, aluminium, and auto parts.

While no final timeline has been announced, negotiators are expected to stay flexible in order to bridge differences on market access, tariffs, and regulatory frameworks.