- By Supratik Das
- Fri, 14 Nov 2025 10:28 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
India-US trade deal: Negotiations on the long-awaited India-US trade agreement have entered a decisive phase, with a senior official in the Trump administration expressing confidence that the two sides could see “positive progress” before the year draws to a close, according to a report by news agency ANI.
The comments come amid fresh diplomatic engagement and a renewed push from both capitals to settle pending issues related to tariffs, market access, and energy trade.
Talks Moving Forward, Says US Official
The official cited by ANI described recent discussions with India as “very positive”, noting that conversations now revolve around two parallel concerns, the ongoing reciprocal trade dialogue and India’s procurement of Russian oil. “I'd like to say we can relax and take a break, but there's still a lot to do, but there's a lot of positive progress going on already, and we may have more to come before the end of the year,” the official further added.
The US has been pressing New Delhi over its oil imports from Russia, arguing that market stability and geopolitical concerns necessitate reduced dependence. However, Washington acknowledged that India has “substantially” scaled down its Russian oil intake in recent months.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday also hinted at nearing a breakthrough, saying the administration was “pretty close to doing a deal that is good for everybody.” At the swearing-in ceremony of Sergio Gor as the US Ambassador to India, Trump remarked, “We’re making a deal with India. Much different from what we had… They’re very good negotiators, so Sergio, you will have to take a look at that.”
Responding to a question later at the Oval Office, Trump said tariffs imposed on India due to Russian oil purchases could be lowered. “At some point, we’re going to be bringing them down,” he said, adding that New Delhi’s reduced Russian oil intake had created a more favourable environment.
India Cautions on ‘Sensitive Issues’
Meanwhile, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that negotiations were progressing well but warned that the agreement involves “many sensitive and serious issues,” requiring time and careful deliberation. “Talks are going on very well,” Goyal told reporters. “Naturally, it takes some time.”
Since March, both sides have held five formal rounds of talks, including a virtual meeting on October 23. The first phase of the bilateral trade agreement was initially targeted for completion by the “fall of 2025.” Bilateral trade between India and the US is projected to touch around USD 190–191 billion in 2024, with both nations aiming to push this figure to USD 500 billion by 2030.
In September, Goyal led a high-level Indian delegation to the US, followed by a visit of a senior American team to New Delhi. Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch held “positive and forward-looking” discussions with India’s Department of Commerce, and both sides committed to intensifying efforts for an early conclusion of the agreement.