India-US interim trade deal moves towards legal finalisation

India's Chief Negotiator and Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce, Rajesh Agrawal, has confirmed that discussions with the United States are progressing towards a formal trade agreement, with the next round of talks scheduled in Washington next week.

- TDG NETWORK

Briefing the media while releasing January trade data, Agrawal said virtual engagements with the US are ongoing and that India's chief negotiator will lead a delegation to finalise the legal framework of the interim agreement. “Work on converting the understanding into a legal document will continue in Washington next week,” he said.

Earlier this month, speaking on the sidelines of BIO-FACH 2026, Agrawal had expressed confidence that the interim trade deal could be legally finalised and signed before the end of March. He noted that while both sides have agreed on the broad contours of the arrangement through a joint statement, translating it into a mutually satisfactory legal text may take time. “We are hopeful March should be the timeline to make it operational,” he said.