‘India First, Viksit Bharat’ Approach: Piyush Goyal On BTA Talks With US Trade Representative
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for negotiations over a multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said his discussions with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer were “forward-looking,” hinting at progress in the negotiations for the multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). This was his second visit to Washington DC in a week after he met Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
“Our approach will be guided by ‘India First,’ ‘Viksit Bharat,’ and our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Goyal stated in a post on social media.
Had a forward looking discussion with @USTradeRep Jamieson Greer on a mutually beneficial Bilateral Trade Agreement.
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) March 14, 2025
Our approach will be guided by ‘India First’, ‘Viksit Bharat’ and our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. pic.twitter.com/0KKyWALEP7
His visit to the US last week followed commitments made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump to negotiate the first tranche of a mutually beneficial BTA by autumn 2025. Goyal's first meeting happened amid Trump's open criticism of India's tariffs.
India, US Push For $500 Billion Trade Target
Modi and Trump resolved to strengthen trade and investment ties to bolster economic prosperity, enhance national security, and deepen supply chain integration. The leaders set an ambitious target—“Mission 500”—aiming to more than double bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030.
Trump, who has consistently advocated for tariff reciprocity, reiterated that the United States would match tariffs imposed by other countries, including India, to ensure fair trade. The US has frequently raised concerns over India’s high tariffs, with US Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick recently expressing interest in a broad-based trade agreement with India rather than negotiations focused on specific products.
Sources told ABP Live, India has decided to “significantly” reduce its average applied tariffs on American goods to address concerns over Trump’s criticism of India’s tariff structure.
High-Level BTA Negotiations Underway
Last week, both nations formally launched negotiations for the BTA, which was decided during Modi’s visit to the US in February 2025. Goyal, leading the Indian delegation, visited Washington from 3 to 6 March, holding discussions with Greer and Lutnick.
An official familiar with the talks stated that the discussions focused on increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, and deepening supply chain integration.
“PM Modi and President Trump agreed to designate senior representatives to advance the negotiations. They were to work towards increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, and deepening supply chain integration,” said the official on condition of anonymity.
The official also acknowledged that past efforts to reach a bilateral or limited trade pact during Trump’s first term did not yield a resolution. However, with negotiations now restarting, both sides will assess each dimension in a way that reflects their mutual interests.
“For various reasons, it did not produce an outcome… Since the discussions for a BTA have just begun, it would be premature to talk about its details. There is also a context for each dimension that would reflect the interests of both sides,” the official noted.
Similar trade negotiations are also underway between India and the European Union and the United Kingdom, highlighting India’s broader efforts to reshape its global trade relationships.
Trump’s Tariff Criticism
While both countries reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a $500 billion bilateral trade target, Trump remains vocal about what he perceives as unfair trade practices by India.
Last week, the US President, who previously dubbed India the “tariff king”, sharply criticised New Delhi’s trade policies.
"India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You can't even sell anything in India... They have agreed, by the way, they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what they have done," Trump said during a White House press briefing.
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