Contours of trade deal with US to be finalised in 2-3 weeks

INDIA HAS NOT brought up the issue of reciprocal tariffs in its discussions with the US, and talks are concentrating on the scope of the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and the ways to increase the bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.

- MUKESH JAGOTA

"It is not known whether reciprocal tariffs will be sectoral, product-based or country-wide. We have not broached this subject. We are discussing what the India-US joint statement talks about," a senior official said.

The official said the scope and the nature of the BTA will be finalised soon. "All the schedules and (other details) we will finalise in due course. Give us 2-3 weeks (to define contours of the scheme),"" he added.