New Delhi, September 16(HS): The chief negotiators from India and the United States officially commenced the sixth round of discussions on the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) on Tuesday. Held in New Delhi, the talks aim to resolve contentious issues, particularly those arising from the hefty tariffs that have created uncertainty for exporters.

The American delegation is led by Brendan Lynch, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, while India’s chief negotiator is Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce. Lynch arrived late Monday night for the one-day negotiations, marking the first visit by a senior U.S. trade official since the announcement of the recent tariff impositions.

This round comes in the wake of the U.S. imposing a 25% tariff plus an additional 25% penalty on Indian goods entering the American market, linked to India’s purchase of crude oil from Russia. The talks are critical in navigating President Donald Trump’s softened stance and aim to ease trade tensions by addressing exporters’ concerns over these punitive measures.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar