Washington, D.C., USA: Negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) between India and the United States have gained significant momentum, according to the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). The development follows a closed-door roundtable involving senior business leaders and United States Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer during the USISPF IX Annual Leadership Summit held in Washington.
The discussions came shortly after Ambassador Greer's visit to India, where he met Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to advance trade negotiations. Both sides focused on moving forward with a balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement, along with an interim arrangement aligned with the joint statement issued on February 6, 2026.
During the roundtable, USISPF board members and Ambassador Greer exchanged views on key trade priorities, including enhanced market access, digital trade, supply chain resilience, and reducing non-tariff barriers that affect bilateral commerce.
USISPF praised Ambassador Greer, Minister Piyush Goyal, and their respective negotiating teams for the steady progress achieved in recent months. The organization noted that businesses in both countries remain optimistic about the proposed agreement, which is expected to support the "Mission 500" initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump to expand bilateral trade to US$500 billion.
USISPF President and CEO Mukesh Aghi said the recent engagements demonstrate growing momentum in India-US trade relations. He stated that Ambassador Greer's participation in the Leadership Summit, following productive meetings in New Delhi, reflects the positive direction of the ongoing trade dialogue.
Aghi added that the negotiations represent a historic opportunity to strengthen commercial ties between the two countries and reaffirmed USISPF's support for a balanced and commercially meaningful agreement that delivers long-term benefits for businesses on both sides.
According to USISPF, the latest discussions have further strengthened confidence among industry leaders that India and the United States are steadily progressing toward a comprehensive trade framework aimed at expanding economic cooperation between the world's two largest democracies.
