Piyush Goyal discusses bilateral relationship with US senator Daines, envoy Gor in New Delhi

Commerce Minister Shri Piyush Goyal met US Senator Steve Daines and the US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, and had a “productive exchange” of views on the bilateral relationship front.

“Delighted to again meet my good friends US Senator @SteveDaines and the US Ambassador to India @SergioGor. Had a productive exchange of views on our bilateral relationship,” Piyush Goyal posted on X.

External Affairs Minister Shri S Jaishankar had on Sunday (18 Jan) also met US Senator Steve Daines, who is currently on a visit to India. They had a wide ranging and open discussion on the bilateral relationship and its strategic significance.

Last week, Indian envoy in US, Vinay Kwatra, also met Senator Daines and discussed the bilateral relationship.      These meetings come amid India and US’ talks for a Bilateral Trade Agreement.

India is currently being subjected to US tariffs of 50 per cent, even as it has been in talks with Washington since February last year, following Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi‘s visit to the US capital.

India’s Commerce Secretary Shri Rajesh Agrawal asserted last Thursday that the much-anticipated first tranche of India-US BTA is “very near” but stopped short of putting out a timeline.

“There are engagements going on, and negotiating teams are talking virtually on issues which are still pending. But we can’t put a deadline. It’s very near. That will happen as long as both sides are ready, they feel it is the right time to announce,” he told reporters.

India and the US were initially aiming to complete the first tranche of an India-US bilateral trade agreement by fall of 2025, but new developments in the US trade policy landscape, that include tariffs, have altered those plans.

The BTA, formally proposed in February following directives from the leadership of both nations, seeks to more than double bilateral trade, from the current USD 191 billion to USD 500 billion by 2030. Talks were first announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in February 2025.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had recently claimed that the trade deal between India and the United States did not happen as Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not place a call to Donald Trump.

Soon after, the Ministry of External Affairs said it had been close to a trade deal with the United States on several occasions, and the characterisation by the US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about it was “not accurate.” “On several occasions, we have been close to a deal. The characterization of these discussions, the reported remarks, is not accurate,” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

India is actively negotiating trade agreements with several countries, including the US, in a bid to expand trade and secure long-term growth opportunities.