BTA Provides India Room Amid US Tariff Threat

DESPITE the Trump administration threatening India with reciprocal tariffs, India can still negotiate a 'favorable' deal with the US through the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) talks currently undergoing.

- DIPAK MONDAL @ New Delhi

Experts believe that even with the threat of reciprocal tariffs hanging over India, the talks give the country time to understand the repercussions of Trump's move.

The two countries have agreed to negotiate a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) by the fall of 2025.

The negotiations have begun with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal already in the US leading the talks. The two countries have set a bold target of taking the total bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 from the current $130 billion.

With Trump announcing the reciprocal tariff on India to come into force from April 2, 2025, there are doubts on the future of the BTA between the two countries.