India and the US have decided to intensify efforts to reach a mutually beneficial trade deal, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a press briefing on September 19.

A day earlier, Commerce minister Piyush Goyal had said that trade talks between India and the US were progressing and moving in the right direction.

Brendan Lynch, Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, was in New Delhi on September 16 for daylong talks with an Indian official team.

Negotiations are going on and there is no trade fiction, according to official information.

The commerce ministry said its daylong talks with a visiting US delegation on a bilateral trade pact were constructive, with both sides agreeing to work towards an early and balanced conclusion.

The negotiations carry added weight after Washington imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods.

Brendan Lynch’s visit marked the first by a senior US trade official since the US also levied a 25 per cent duty, along with an additional 25 per cent penalty, on Indian exports in response to New Delhi’s purchase of Russian crude.

Earlier this year, leaders from both countries had instructed officials to accelerate talks on a proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). The aim was to finalise the first phase of the deal by autumn 2025.

So far, five negotiation rounds have been completed. The sixth round, originally planned for August 25-29, was postponed following the new tariffs.