India-US Trade Talks Set To Resume On Tuesday, Days After Modi-Trump Thaw

The India-US trade talks will resume on Tuesday, a senior Commerce Ministry official said, adding that a team of American negotiators will be arriving in New Delhi late on Monday.

The update was shared by Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce at a press briefing. He also noted that the trade discussions with the US are going on at various levels, including diplomatic, trade, chief negotiators and ministerial-levels.

There are several trade issues being discussed, the senior official added.

Agrawal also added that more clarity on Indian ministers visiting the US will emerge from the meeting. US' ambassador-designate for India, Sergio Gor, told the Senate last week that President Donald Trump has invited India's trade and commerce ministers to meet with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington.

The resumption in trade talks comes following a period of halt, as India-US ties plunged following the imposition of 50% tariffs last month.

Gor, last week, noted that the US and India are not far apart, when it comes to the trade deal, and that they are only negotiating the nitty-gritties of the agreement.

The thaw in India-US ties comes days after Modi and Trump exchanged warm statements over social media. The US president described the Indian PM as a "good friend" and New Delhi as a valued partner, whereas Modi reciprocated the gesture, saying that India and the US have a "very positive and forward-looking Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership."

Even as the trade talks seem to have resumed, Trump last week called on EU officials to consider imposing tariffs of up to 100% on China and India to pressurise Russian President Vladimir Putin.