India and the United States are actively engaging on trade issues, with their next discussion scheduled for Tuesday, Washington’s newly-appointed ambassador to New Delhi, Sergio Gor, confirmed on Monday. The talks come amid a period of tension in bilateral trade relations, which has contributed to the Indian rupee hitting a record low and raised investor concerns.
Gor, speaking in New Delhi as he formally assumed his ambassadorial role, emphasized that both nations remain committed to resolving differences. “Real friends can disagree, but always resolve their differences in the end,” he said. He added that the upcoming trade call will also touch on broader areas of cooperation, including security, counterterrorism, energy, technology, education, and health.
The ambassador also highlighted India’s expected invitation to join Pax Silica next month, a U.S.-led initiative aimed at building a resilient silicon supply chain covering critical minerals, semiconductors, and AI technologies.
Trade relations between India and the U.S. have faced challenges in recent years. Previous negotiations broke down, and President Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods, including a 25% levy in response to India’s purchase of Russian oil. Despite these setbacks, both sides have periodically come close to reaching a trade agreement, having initiated negotiations in February last year.
Indian officials, including Trade Minister Piyush Goyal, have reaffirmed their commitment to continuing discussions with Washington to secure a deal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously targeted a trade agreement by fall 2025, with a broader goal of more than doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. India has also pledged to purchase up to $25 billion in U.S. energy and expand defense imports to help bridge a $47 billion goods trade gap.
Gor’s remarks brought a boost to Indian markets, with the benchmark Nifty 50 rising 220 points, or 0.15%, as optimism returned that sustained dialogue could pave the way for resolving outstanding trade issues.
