US team visits Delhi to advance technical aspects of India-US trade pact

India and the US have been negotiating the BTA, with differences over tariff levels and access to India’s agricultural and dairy markets continuing to hold up an interim agreement

Amid uncertainty over the conclusion of the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA), a two-member US team on customs and trade facilitation visited New Delhi last week to take forward technical aspects of the agreement, a source said.

“On November 2-3, a two-member track team on customs and trade facilitation was in New Delhi to take forward the technical part of the negotiations,” a person tracking the matter told businessline.

The US team’s visit took place amid the US midterm elections, in which the Democrats won control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, dealing a setback to President Donald Trump’s Republican Party.

Discussions continue

The official said technical discussions on the proposed pact were expected to continue irrespective of the Republican loss, although there was no clarity on the future course of the trade deal.

The outcome of the elections has raised some questions over the Trump administration’s ability to push its trade agenda, although the President retains his executive powers.

India and the US have been negotiating the BTA, with differences over tariff levels and access to India’s agricultural and dairy markets continuing to hold up an interim agreement. While both sides have made progress on several areas, the tariff issue remains a major sticking point.

The technical engagement on customs and trade facilitation, however, indicates that discussions are continuing at the working level despite uncertainty surrounding the broader negotiations.

Published on November 10, 2026