U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to review progress on the proposed India–US interim trade agreement.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, the discussions focused on key elements of the interim deal as both sides work toward strengthening trade ties and advancing negotiations on a comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
According to reports both negotiating teams have made “substantial progress” in recent months, but additional work is required before the interim agreement can be finalised.
India and the United States had agreed on a framework deal on 2 February, under which the U.S. proposed reducing tariffs on Indian goods to 18%, while India agreed to lower duties on selected U.S. industrial and agricultural products.
Trade discussions are taking place alongside investigations initiated by the United States under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. These include an additional 12.5% duty on India and several other countries over allegations linked to forced labour inputs.
India has challenged the legal basis of the investigations while continuing to participate in the Section 301 proceedings. Hearings on the revised tariff proposal are scheduled for July 7.
India could secure lower tariffs of 10% if concerns related to forced labour import restrictions are addressed, according to the report.
Indian officials maintain that the country’s textile supply chains do not depend on cotton imports from Xinjiang, although Chinese suppliers remain important for synthetic and blended textiles, including specialty yarns and performance fabrics.
Officials said that while July 24 remains an important milestone due to the expiry of the temporary tariff regime, the interim trade agreement is not necessarily tied to that deadline.
The report noted that the longer-term challenge will be determining whether the interim arrangement can evolve into a broader Comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement between India and the United States.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
