India says trade talks with US remain constructive after Washington visit

Foreign minister spokesman says both sides working towards beneficial and ​forward-looking trade agreement

India and the United States are engaged in constructive talks aimed at reaching a balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement, a ​foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

The comments came after a three-day visit ‌to Washington by an Indian trade delegation led by senior commerce ministry official Darpan Jain for talks with US counterparts.

"These engagements are ongoing and constructive," spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters at a ​weekly media briefing.

"Both sides are working towards a balanced, mutually beneficial and ​forward-looking trade agreement, taking into account each other's concerns and priorities, ⁠and to achieve a trade target of $500 billion by 2030," he said.

That target ​would be more than double the bilateral goods and services trade of about $212b in ​2024.

The talks reflect a broader effort by New Delhi and Washington to clinch a trade pact, even as uncertainty over US tariff policy has complicated negotiations.

Earlier this week, Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said ​the two sides had nearly finalised the first tranche of a bilateral trade ​agreement and were working through the remaining details, including a mechanism to secure preferential market access ‌for ⁠India in the US market relative to its competitors.

No concrete outcome emerged from the latest round of talks, but both sides will continue to engage, a government official said on the condition of anonymity, adding that the Indian delegation was expected to ​return to New ​Delhi by early ⁠Friday.

Efforts to frame an interim trade pact, including a proposal to lower US tariffs on Indian goods to about 18%, have ​been clouded by uncertainty following a US Supreme Court ruling, although ​negotiations are ⁠continuing.

Trade analysts and the opposition parties have questioned the government's plans to sign a deal with Washington after President Donald Trump announced a temporary 10% duty on imports from ⁠all ​countries, including India.

New Delhi is hoping to align ​any trade deal with Washington's planned changes in June to the so-called Section 301 tariffs, which could reshape ​duties on key sectors and influence market access.