India, US Renew Trade Deal Push, Delegation To Visit Washington This Month

India will send a trade delegation to Washington on April 20, in a fresh push to advance talks on a proposed bilateral trade agreement with the United States, even as global supply disruptions weigh on the country's export outlook. New Delhi's delegation will be led by chief negotiator Darpan Jain.

"The Indian team, led by the chief negotiator, will be visiting the US from the 20th of this month. The negotiating teams will be meeting in person after a gap of about 3-4 months. They have been engaging virtually in the meantime," Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said.

"We are looking at finalising the legal agreement, which is a logical follow-up of the joint statement released on 7th February. There is a need for further discussions and follow-up engagement to take this forward," he added.

The official said that India and the US will work together to finalise timelines and next steps as part of the ongoing engagement.

The fresh bout of negotiations comes amid evolving tariff rules in the US, with officials indicating that clarity on Washington's trade stance remains crucial before any final deal.

Earlier this year, India and the US agreed on an interim arrangement to reduce tariffs on Indian exports to 18 percent. The agreement was reached after the United States' Supreme Court struck down sweeping reciprocal tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on several countries.

Officials said that tariffs linked to India's purchase of Russian oil had been rolled back, but duties under Section 232 remained unchanged.

India has indicated it will continue to engage with Washington to resolve outstanding issues.

West Asia Crisis Hits Trade

Even as negotiations continue, geopolitical tensions are beginning to reflect in West Asian trade data.

Total exports to West Asia in March 2026 dropped sharply by 57.95 percent, a fall of  $3.5 billion, says government data. Imports from the region also declined by 51.6 percent, or $8.7 billion.

Officials flag the situation as a key concern, with disruptions in the region affecting both demand and supply chains.

Exports Rise, But Deficit Widens

Agarwal said India's total exports for the Financial Year 2025 crossed $860.09 billion, up by 35 billion dollars from the previous year. If services are added to the exports, the figure reaches $974.9 billion, logging a growth of 4.22 percent.

Imports, however, increased 6.4 percent to $979.4 billion, largely due to record-high gold and silver prices. This pushed the trade deficit to $119 billion, up from last year's $94.6 billion.

India's merchandise exports saw a marginal increase of 1 percent to $441.78 billion.

Key sectors that recorded export growth include electronic goods, engineering goods, marine products, and agricultural segments such as meat and dairy. Exports to China rose by 5 billion dollars, while shipments to Spain increased by 2 billion dollars.

Merchandise exports in March stood at 38.92 billion dollars, lower than the 42.05 billion dollars recorded in the same month last year.

The Commerce Secretary expressed hope that current global challenges would ease in the coming months.

FTA Push And Digital Trade Platform

India is also stepping up efforts to expand trade partnerships.

The India-UK free trade agreement is expected to come into force by May 2026, while the agreement with New Zealand is set to be signed on April 27 and implemented later in the year. Talks are also underway to conclude agreements with Oman and the European Union within the year.

The Commerce Ministry has launched a new website aimed at improving trade governance. The platform will integrate real-time trade data, link with Parliament systems for questions and answers, and provide a grievance redressal mechanism for exporters.

Officials say the twin approach of pushing trade deals and strengthening domestic systems is aimed at insulating India from global uncertainties while sustaining export growth.