Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, vehemently denied an international news agency story that said the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) was at a standstill or delayed. Goyal stated on the social media site X that the negotiations are in the last stages, fully active, and optimistic.
Goyal reacted to a report published by the news agency Reuters, which stated that India was waiting for a better deal and had rejected a speedy trade pact with the US in recent negotiations.
"This news is completely false, baseless and misleading," Goyal said in his post on X.
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During US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer's visit to New Delhi in June of this year, the Commerce and Industry Minister claimed he had "fantastic meetings" with Greer, reaffirming that both nations are still committed to reaching a fair and advantageous trade agreement.
"When USTR Jamieson Greer came to Delhi in June, I had wonderful talks with him. Goyal stated, "Both sides reiterated their commitment to an agreement that is balanced, commercially significant, and provides real benefits for businesses, farmers, workers, and consumers in both countries," he added
"Our teams remain fully engaged in achieving this objective," he continued.
This news is completely false, baseless and misleading.
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) July 13, 2026
I had fantastic meetings with USTR Jamieson Greer, @USTradeRep, when he visited Delhi in June. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to an agreement that is balanced, commercially meaningful, and delivers tangible… https://t.co/0JZOULEL6i
According to media sources, Goyal stated earlier this month that the negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement between the United States and India have reached the last stage, with the majority of important problems settled and both parties striving for a deal that will give New Delhi an advantage over its rivals.
According to news agency ANI, Goyal's statements are consistent with those of Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, who stated earlier that there are no obstacles in reaching an agreement between the two countries.
"We don't see any challenge in India-US trade deal negotiations," Agarwal stated while briefing the media on trade statistics for June 2026.
During the media conference, the Secretary described the recent interaction and mentioned that "the Indian team visited the US in May." In June, the US team paid a visit.
In addition, he stated that "talks are going on in a proper framework."
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Regarding the overall trade landscape, Agarwal admitted that a number of trading partners have experienced uncertainty as a result of US tariff actions. He did, however, say that talks between the two countries are moving along.
He declared, "IEEPA tariff has gone..." "They are currently in talks with other nations once more." He continued, "They are doing a parallel inquiry. India is involved in those conversations. We have participated in discussions. Everyone is making good progress."
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