(Forelines) – New Delhi has finalized to pursue a way of trade liberalisation with the U.S., according to Indian trade secretary on Tuesday, with the two nations signing the terms of reference for the initial part of a bilateral trade deal, according to Reuters.
New Delhi and the United States confirmed in February to work on the initial phase of a trade deal to be completed late this year, with a perception to achieving bilateral trade value of $500 billion by 2030.
According to Reuters “India has decided to go for a path of trade liberalisation with the U.S.,” Sunil Barthwal, trade secretary said to reporters.
The two nations will begin online discussions on the deal this month, with the subsequent round of in-person negotiations confirmed for mid-May, Rajesh Agrawal, an additional secretary in the trade ministry stated.
As per Reuters last month reported that New Delhi is open to cutting tariffs on over half of United States imports value of $23 billion in the initial phase of a trade deal the two countries are talking, the largest cut in years.
On Wednesday, United States President Donald Trump declared a 90-day halt on many tariff hikes for key trading partners including New Delhi, although increasing levies on Beijing, granting short-term relief for India’s exporters, reported by Reuters.
While India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was amidst the first leaders visit to U.S. and hold meetings with Donald Trump following he came back to the White House, the U.S. president Trump has lasted to urge New Delhi a “tariff abuser” and “tariff king”.
In the course of Narendra Modi’s United States visit in February, the two nations accepted to begin negotiations towards clinching an first trade deal and dealing with their impasse on tariffs.
The U.S. has a trade deficit worth $45.6 billion with New Delhi.
New Delhi has further taken a several steps to claime victory over Donald Trump including promising to purchase additional defence and energy items.