India and the United States have stepped up efforts to conclude an interim trade agreement, with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal holding a meeting with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Milwaukee.
met Greer on Wednesday on the sidelines of the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting, where the two officials discussed efforts to reach an agreement under the broader (BTA). Goyal described the talks as “productive” and said both sides discussed an early conclusion of a “mutually beneficial” interim agreement.
The meeting came on the same day that covering bilateral cooperation in trade, defence, energy and critical technologies, among other areas.
Sharing details of his meeting with Greer on X, said the discussions focused on concluding the interim agreement under the .
“Had a productive discussion with USTR Greer towards early conclusion of a mutually beneficial interim agreement under the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement,” said.
He added that the two officials also exchanged views on deliberations at the G20 meeting under the US presidency of the grouping.
Goyal’s US visit comes as New Delhi and Washington continue negotiations over the first phase of their broader trade agreement. India and the US had announced a framework for an interim agreement in February 2026.
A trade agreement between India and the United States is still being negotiated and is not imminent, Greer said on Thursday, even as he described recent discussions with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal as constructive.
Greer said the Trump administration was continuing to work with India to finalise a bilateral trade agreement, but indicated that differences between the two sides still needed to be resolved.
“I don’t think there’s something imminent, but we truly have identified the universe of items that are sticking points. We’re working diligently toward them,” Greer said at the G20 Trade Ministers’ meeting in Milwaukee.
The comments came a day after Goyal said he had a “productive discussion” with Greer on efforts toward an early conclusion of a “mutually beneficial” interim agreement under the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
Goyal met Greer on the sidelines of the , where the US is hosting the ministerial gathering. The meeting is taking place on September 30 and October 1.
The February framework was intended to provide the foundation for the first phase of the wider BTA negotiations, including additional market-access commitments and more resilient supply chains.
However, subsequent changes in the US tariff landscape have complicated the negotiations. The two sides have continued to work through differences even as Washington has introduced additional tariff measures affecting India.
The Indian government has been seeking an agreement that provides greater market access for Indian exporters while ensuring competitive conditions for Indian products in the US market.
Goyal said on September 24 that the trade pact was “done and dusted” but would be executed once the US provides India with the right competitive advantage over rival exporters, including countries in ASEAN, China and Bangladesh.
The Goyal-Greer meeting followed a phone conversation between and in which the two leaders reviewed progress in India-US cooperation.
According to , the discussion covered trade, defence, energy and critical technologies. The leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues and agreed to maintain close engagement on the broader India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
The timing of the two conversations puts trade negotiations at the centre of the latest high-level engagement between New Delhi and Washington.
(With Reuters inputs)
