Overview
- A U.S. team led by Deputy USTR Rick Switzer held Dec. 9–11 meetings with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, with both sides vowing to continue "purposeful and positive" engagements.
- U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told lawmakers the United States has received its "best offer ever" from India, indicating forward movement in recent rounds.
- New Delhi maintains that punitive duties must ease before sealing the first tranche and continues to shield sensitive agriculture and dairy markets from wider access.
- Negotiations are running on dual tracks covering a tariff framework and a broader bilateral trade agreement, with six rounds completed and a stated goal of lifting trade toward $500 billion by 2030.
- Indian merchandise exports to the U.S. fell 8.58% in October to about $6.3 billion, and this week President Trump also threatened new tariffs on Indian rice, underscoring sustained pressure on trade flows.