New Delhi: US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that a trade deal with India will help bridge the trade gap but said there was a serious “lack of reciprocity in the trade relationship” with New Delhi.
“These ongoing talks will help achieve balance and reciprocity by opening new markets for American goods and addressing unfair practices that harm American workers. India’s constructive engagement so far has been welcomed and I look forward to creating new opportunities for workers, farmers, and entrepreneurs in both countries,” USTR said in a statement.
The statement followed US VP J D Vance’s meeting with PM Modi on Monday, where the two leaders appreciated the progress made in the proposed trade deal. “The US and India are hard at work on a trade agreement built on shared priorities, and I’m excited to announce that we officially finalised the Terms of Reference for our trade negotiations. This agreement is a vital step toward a final deal between our nations,” Vance said.

On Tuesday, Indian officials stated that the trade deal was meant to build upon the “strategic convergence” between the two countries by unlocking new opportunities. “The bilateral trade agreement aims to enhance and expand bilateral trade, technology, and economic ties in a mutually beneficial manner so that the India-US ties, which were called the defining partnership of the 21st century by Vance, can deliver greater prosperity and well-being for the people of the two countries,” a senior commerce department official said just ahead of an Indian team heading to Washington DC for talks.
India and the US agreed to the terms of reference or modalities for the agreement, which was announced during Modi’s visit to Washington in March. Since then, a team led by assistant USTR Brendan Lynch came to India, and technical talks are due to begin soon.