Trade talks between India and the United States are heating up in Washington, with both sides pushing toward a potential interim agreement likely to be unveiled in day or two. The agreement follows months of negotiations, catalysed by US President Donald Trump's historic tariffs announced on April 2.
Here are the key faces at the negotiation table:
Team India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal
Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary and Commerce Secretary Designate – Chief Negotiator
Agrawal, a 1993-batch IAS officer from the Manipur cadre, is spearheading India's trade deal efforts with the United States. He has previously led the review of India's free trade agreement with ASEAN and steered negotiations for proposed trade pacts with Australia and Peru. Agrawal also oversees the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, bringing experience in agricultural trade, a critical sticking point in India-US talks.
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Team USA
President Donald Trump
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick
Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative
Brendan Lynch, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia – Chief Negotiator
Brendan Lynch brings extensive experience in South Asia trade policy, having previously served as Deputy Assistant USTR and Director for India. He currently manages US trade policy across 15 countries in the region and coordinates initiatives under the US-India Trade Policy Forum and regional TIFAs.
What's On The Table
At the heart of the negotiations are tariff reductions and reciprocal market access. Indian officials have made it clear that without broader tariff cuts, particularly on high-employment sectors like textiles, footwear, and leather, the ambition of doubling trade volume will remain out of reach.
Meanwhile, the US has been pushing for greater access to India's agricultural and dairy markets — areas where India remains cautious due to rural livelihood and food safety concerns. India is also pressing for the inclusion of a social security agreement, aimed at addressing double taxation of Indian professionals working in the US.
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