No trade talks are planned with the United States for the current week, Indian officials confirmed to Informist. The clarification follows US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor’s mention of an upcoming “next call” regarding the India-US bilateral trade deal.
The official said the Commerce Department had not received any communication from Washington regarding continued discussions. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the “next call” in question could concern Washington’s internal review of India’s recent trade proposals rather than a formal bilateral exchange. “I cannot confirm if there will be negotiations this month, but nothing is planned in the short term, at least for this week,” the official told Informist.
While Ambassador Gor said the two countries remained engaged, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed doubt that a deal would be reached, citing missed opportunities and delays in communication between the two sides.
Despite no scheduled negotiations, Indian officials said the government was actively working toward trade deals with developed economies. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal reiterated the continued search for agreements with the United States and the European Union, noting that discussions with the EU were at an advanced stage.
Indian products currently face 50 percent tariffs in the US market, which is a key issue in the ongoing negotiations. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal noted last month that India and the United States were close to reaching an interim agreement addressing India’s concerns over the higher tariffs. No timetable was provided for such an agreement, especially after the previous goal of concluding negotiations by fall 2025 was not met.
India’s exports to the United States remained strong despite high tariffs, rising 11.4 percent year-on-year to $59.04 billion between April and November. However, without a trade deal, Indian exporters could face even higher tariffs if the US Congress passes a sanctions bill targeting Russia and its trading partners. The bill, supported by former President Trump, could come up for a vote this week, according to Sen. Lindsey Graham.
