Piyush Goyal to visit U.S. on May 16 to push for trade deal amid tariff pause
New Delhi: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will lead a high-level trade delegation to the United States from May 16, as India and the U.S. intensify efforts to clinch a bilateral trade agreement, Reuters reported.
The visit comes weeks after U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s stop in New Delhi, and amid renewed attempts to strike a deal that could shield India from higher American tariffs and strengthen ties with President Donald Trump’s administration.
The Commerce Ministry has not yet commented officially on the visit.
New Delhi is hoping to reach an agreement within the 90-day window on tariff hikes that Trump announced on April 9 for key trading partners.
India currently faces a 10% base tariff, with a potential 26% hike temporarily on hold during this pause.
The United States remains India’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade touching $129 billion in 2024. India enjoys a $45.7 billion surplus in the trade relationship.
Goyal will be accompanied by India’s chief trade negotiator Rajesh Agrawal and other senior officials, one of the sources said.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media.
The talks are also expected to build on the groundwork laid during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February visit to the U.S., where both countries agreed to finalise the first phase of a trade agreement by fall 2025, with the broader aim of scaling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.
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