US, India Schedule Bilateral Trade Talks in Delhi on December 10-11

India and the United States will hold trade discussions in New Delhi on 10-11 December 2025, as per PTI. 

A US delegation, led by Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer, will be in India from 9-11 December. This will be their 2nd visit since the US introduced a 25% tariff and an additional 25% penalty on select Indian goods linked to Russian crude imports. 

Focus on the First Tranche of the Pact 

Talks will cover progress on the proposed bilateral trade agreement’s 1st tranche. Assistant USTR for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, serving as the US’ chief negotiator, will meet India’s lead negotiator Darpan Jain, Joint Secretary in the Commerce Department.  

Switzer is also expected to meet Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal to review ongoing work. 

Two Negotiation Tracks Underway 

Both countries are currently negotiating on 2 fronts: a framework of trade deal focused on tariff concerns, and a separate comprehensive agreement.  

Leaders from India and the US instructed officials earlier this year to work toward an initial conclusion by the autumn of 2025. Six rounds of talks have been completed so far. 

Tariff Pressure and Export Trends 

The discussions come amid weaker export numbers. India’s merchandise exports to the US fell for the 2nd month in a row in October, dropping 8.58% to $6.3 billion.  

The tariff issue remains a major concern for exporters, and reports indicate that the framework deal aims to address these disruptions. 

Current Trade Position 

The US continued as India’s largest trading partner for the fourth straight year in 2024-25, with bilateral trade valued at $131.84 billion. India exported $86.5 billion worth of goods to the US.  

The US accounts for around 18% of India’s goods exports, 6.22% of imports and 10.73% of total merchandise trade. The agreement aims to take bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, up from $191 billion at present. 

Read More: China's Trade Surplus Surpasses Milestone of $1 Trillion for the First Time! 

Conclusion 

The December meetings are expected to review all pending points and assess next steps as both sides aim to narrow gaps in the ongoing negotiations. 

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