Indian staff in U.S. to debate tariffs, shutdown not proper time for official negotiation on commerce deal: Commerce Secretary

A staff from India is at present within the U.S. to debate points regarding tariffs, in line with Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal. However, as a result of ongoing shutdown within the U.S. authorities, it isn’t “the precise time” to carry the subsequent official spherical of negotiations on a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), he mentioned. 

Mr. Agrawal, at present nonetheless the Chief Negotiator for India on the BTA, additional mentioned that India can be “very comfortable” to extend its vitality imports from the U.S.

The U.S. authorities is at present present process a ‘shutdown’ because it has not been capable of enact the required funding laws for the present monetary 12 months in that nation. 

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“Our negotiating staff is within the U.S. and is attempting to see if we are able to have a win-win resolution between the 2 sides that may deal with a few of the tariff points,” Mr. Agrawal mentioned throughout a press briefing on Wednesday (October 15, 2025). “There is already a dialogue occurring and there may be at all times a hope of arriving at an answer.”

“Regarding the formal rounds of negotiations, the US is at present in shutdown and their manpower energy is down and so this isn’t the precise time to have a full fledged commerce negotiation,” the Commerce Secretary mentioned, in response to a question by The Hindu. 

However, he added that each side are actively discussing discover a resolution to the present commerce tensions between India and the U.S.

“As a rustic, we can be very comfortable to purchase extra vitality from the U.S. topic to it being accessible on the proper value,” he mentioned. “There is a bilateral dedication and discussions whereby we now have indicated very positively that India wish to diversify its portfolio so far as vitality imports are involved. 

September is the primary full month the place Indian imports into the US confronted 50% tariffs, with half of those imposed as a ‘penalty’ on India for importing crude oil from Russia. 

This form of diversification was the “finest technique” for a giant oil purchaser like India, Mr. Agrawal mentioned. 

The Commerce Secretary additionally mentioned that negotiations on the free commerce settlement with the European Union have been “progressing very nicely”. 

“We are within the final leg of negotiations,” he mentioned. “The final was probably the most arduous leg as a result of the hardest issues are determined on the finish. We are in that stage of negotiations. The final spherical noticed actual progress. We are very hopeful that our groups can be interacting with one another, engaged on the variations.” 

Some officers of the Indian staff have stayed again in Brussels to hold ahead the negotiations in guidelines of origin.

“That is one space the place loads of work must be carried out, so we now have left the staff there to see that substantial progress may be made on this.,” Mr. Agrawal mentioned.