India-US BTA Talks Progressing in Positive Atmosphere: Goyal

'PM Modi & US President Trump had instructed trade ministers of both nations to conclude 1st phase of BTA by fall (November) of 2025'

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

PATNA: Negotiations between India and the US on the proposed trade agreement, which began in March, are progressing in a positive atmosphere and both the countries are satisfied with the progress, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday.

He said that in February this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump had instructed the trade ministers of both the countries to conclude the first phase of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by fall (November) of 2025.

"Discussions have been going on in a positive atmosphere with seriousness since March. It is progressing, and both the countries are satisfied with the progress," Goyal told reporters here.

On Wednesday also, the minister stated that India is in 'active dialogue' with the United States for a trade agreement.

These remarks follow the announcement by Trump that there will be "no difficulty" for the two countries to come to a successful conclusion in trade talks and he looks forward to speaking with his "very good friend" Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming weeks.