Donald Trump could land in India soon as US calls trade talks with Piyush Goyal 'encouraging'
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, accompanied by lead negotiator Rajesh Agarwal, held talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New York this week.
- Sep 24, 2025,
- Updated Sep 24, 2025 7:11 AM IST
After months of gridlock, trade talks between India and the U.S. are showing signs of revival, with senior officials from both nations meeting in New York to reboot stalled negotiations, and possibly pave the way for a Trump visit to India.
Sources in the U.S. administration told India Today the initial meeting between India’s trade delegation and American counterparts is “going well,” marking the first tangible progress after a prolonged standoff over tariffs and visa policies.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, accompanied by lead negotiator Rajesh Agarwal, held talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New York this week. “The early signs are encouraging,” a U.S. official familiar with the discussions said, noting that both sides are “committed to moving past irritants.”
The meeting follows groundwork laid during a September 16 visit to New Delhi by a USTR team and earlier talks between U.S. official Brendan Lynch and India’s chief negotiator. Officials are now optimistic about sealing an interim agreement soon.
Negotiations had collapsed earlier this year after Washington slapped an additional 25% tariff on Indian crude imports from Russia—raising overall duties on Indian exports to the U.S. to a staggering 50%. The sixth round of trade talks, set for August 25, was postponed amid rising tensions.
Sources indicate that a successful breakthrough could lead to a high-level Quad summit before year-end, with preliminary planning for a possible Trump visit to India already underway, according to U.S. State Department officials.
Trade remains the most contentious issue in the bilateral relationship, worsened by a steep hike in H-1B visa fees—another flashpoint for India. Yet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled a shift in tone. “We’ve already seen the measures we’ve taken with regards to India, although that’s something we hope we can fix,” Rubio told NBC.
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also met Rubio, further highlighting the strategic urgency driving this renewed push for alignment.
After months of gridlock, trade talks between India and the U.S. are showing signs of revival, with senior officials from both nations meeting in New York to reboot stalled negotiations, and possibly pave the way for a Trump visit to India.
Sources in the U.S. administration told India Today the initial meeting between India’s trade delegation and American counterparts is “going well,” marking the first tangible progress after a prolonged standoff over tariffs and visa policies.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, accompanied by lead negotiator Rajesh Agarwal, held talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New York this week. “The early signs are encouraging,” a U.S. official familiar with the discussions said, noting that both sides are “committed to moving past irritants.”
The meeting follows groundwork laid during a September 16 visit to New Delhi by a USTR team and earlier talks between U.S. official Brendan Lynch and India’s chief negotiator. Officials are now optimistic about sealing an interim agreement soon.
Negotiations had collapsed earlier this year after Washington slapped an additional 25% tariff on Indian crude imports from Russia—raising overall duties on Indian exports to the U.S. to a staggering 50%. The sixth round of trade talks, set for August 25, was postponed amid rising tensions.
Sources indicate that a successful breakthrough could lead to a high-level Quad summit before year-end, with preliminary planning for a possible Trump visit to India already underway, according to U.S. State Department officials.
Trade remains the most contentious issue in the bilateral relationship, worsened by a steep hike in H-1B visa fees—another flashpoint for India. Yet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled a shift in tone. “We’ve already seen the measures we’ve taken with regards to India, although that’s something we hope we can fix,” Rubio told NBC.
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also met Rubio, further highlighting the strategic urgency driving this renewed push for alignment.