New Delhi: Days ahead of the 2 April deadline for reciprocal tariffs to be imposed by the US, Brendan Lynch, the assistant US trade representative for South and Central Asia, is set to visit India between 25 and 29 March.
“Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, along with a team of U.S. government officials, will be in India March 25-29 for meetings with Indian interlocutors as part of ongoing bilateral trade discussions. This visit reflects the United States’ continued commitment to advancing a productive and balanced trade relationship with India,” said a US embassy spokesperson Monday.
“We value our ongoing engagement with the Government of India on trade and investment matters and look forward to continuing these discussions in a constructive, equitable, and forward-looking manner,” the spokesperson added.
Lynch’s visit comes at a crucial juncture as trade negotiations between India and the US reach an advanced stage, just ahead of President Donald Trump’s promised global reciprocal tariffs, set to take effect on 2 April. The US President has been pushing for a trade agreement with India, urging New Delhi to lower tariffs on several US products, including agricultural goods and automobiles.
Trump has previously criticised India’s trade policies, branding the country the “tariff king” and taking credit for “exposing” its high tariffs. During his visit, Lynch is expected to hold discussions with Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.
Earlier this month, Goyal travelled to the US twice, meeting senior American officials, including US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The US remains a key market for Indian exports, with goods worth approximately $77 billion exported during the 2023-2024 financial year. It is India’s largest export destination, with the United Arab Emirates coming in a distant second at around $35 billion for the same period.
However, under Trump’s administration, India’s large export volume to the US has come under scrutiny, as New Delhi imported only $42 billion worth of American goods in 2023-2024. For Trump, the trade deficit remains a pressing concern, and he has consistently urged India to adopt fairer trade practices.
The issue was raised in January during a phone call between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Following Modi’s visit to the White House in February, the two leaders agreed to initiate negotiations for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with the first tranche expected to be finalised before the end of autumn this year.
Providing an update on the trade talks, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated on Friday that the “two governments are actively working to build a framework for the BTA.” The primary objective of the agreement is to lower tariff and non-tariff barriers and enhance overall trade between the two nations.
“The Government of India remains engaged with the US administration at various levels to arrive at a mutually beneficial, multi-sector bilateral trade agreement. So this is what I have to convey to you in response to your question,” said Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson for the MEA, during a routine press briefing.
Trump’s tariff threats have sparked fears of a global trade war, prompting several nations, including key American allies such as Canada and the European Union (EU), to introduce countermeasures.
In Canada, the threat of American tariffs has emerged as a major political issue, with the upcoming snap elections expected to focus heavily on how the next Prime Minister will navigate trade relations with the US. Currently, around 76 percent of Canada’s exports are directed to the US, while 62 percent of its imports come from America.
Trump has been pressing India to purchase more American oil and defence equipment as a means to narrow the trade deficit. In a move signalling its willingness to make concessions in select sectors, the Indian government lowered tariffs on bourbon whiskey, electric vehicles (EVs), and wines in the 2025-2026 Union Budget to demonstrate its openness to Washington’s demands.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
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