With an aim of fast-tracking the trade pact, the Commerce and Industry Ministry has said that three-day trade talks between Indian and US officials concluded on April 23, 2026 with both sides agreeing to remain engaged to sustain the momentum. During the discussions, the two sides covered several areas, including market access, non-tariff measures, technical barriers to trade, customs and trade facilitation, investment promotion, economic security alignment, and digital trade.

The ministry stated ‘The meetings were conducted in a constructive and positive spirit, with meaningful and forward-looking discussions enabling progress on key matters. Both sides agreed to remain engaged to maintain this momentum as they move forward.’ India and the US had earlier issued a joint statement on February 7, 2026, finalising a framework for an interim trade agreement focused on reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade.

The framework reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to the broader India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations. The Indian delegation visited Washington, D.C., for an in-person round of meetings with their US counterparts to finalise the details of the interim agreement and advance negotiations under the broader BTA.

Meanwhile, India’s outbound shipments to the US grew marginally by 0.92 per cent to $87.3 billion during the last fiscal year (FY26), while imports rose by 15.95 per cent to $52.9 billion. As a result, the trade surplus declined to $34.4 billion in 2025-26 from $40.89 billion in 2024-25.