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Informist, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026

NEW DELHI – There are no trade talks scheduled with the US this week, a commerce ministry official said Monday, even as US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor claimed that the next call on the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement will be held on Tuesday. There has been no communication from Washington regarding discussions for the trade deal, the official said.

The "next call" mentioned by Gor could relate to Washington's internal deliberations on India's latest offer under the trade deal, the official said on the condition of anonymity. "I cannot confirm whether there will be talks this month, but there is nothing scheduled in the near term, at least as of this week," the official told Informist.

Recent remarks by US officials give mixed signals on the trajectory of the trade negotiations. Even as Gor said the two sides remain actively engaged, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick cast doubt on the deal's prospects last week. Lutnick said the agreement failed to materialise because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not speak to US President Donald Trump in time. Lutnick had said that India agreed to the US offer three weeks after the train had already left.

Meanwhile, India has maintained its stance that the trade talks are progressing. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal reiterated Monday that the ministry is taking forward negotiations for a trade deal with several developed economies, including the US and the EU, with the latter being in the final stage.  

Indian goods currently attract a 50% tariff in the US. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said last month that the two sides are close to an interim framework agreement to address India's concerns about the higher duty. However, Agrawal did not give any timeline after both countries missed their earlier goal of finalising the deal by the fall of 2025.

So far, Indian exports to the US have held up despite steep duties, rising 11.4% on year to $59.04 billion in Apr–Nov. But in the absence of a trade deal, India may face duties of up to 500% if the US Congress enacts the bipartisan sanctions bill targeting Russia and its trading partners. Trump has approved the bill and a congressional vote is likely this week, according to US Senator Lindsey Graham.  End

US$1 = INR 90.15

Reported by Krity Ambey

Edited by Saji George Titus

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