India and the United States have reached a plateau in their trade negotiations, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday. Her remarks suggest that both sides face difficulties in making further progress on a key economic agreement.
Sitharaman said it would be “very, very difficult” for either country to offer or seek additional concessions beyond the current position. However, she said both sides could continue working if there was room for further movement.
The negotiations remain active despite the challenges. Sitharaman described the discussions as difficult and strongly negotiated, while stressing that talks between the two countries are still continuing.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also said last week that an agreement was not imminent. He made the comments after meeting Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal in the United States.
India and the US have been negotiating a trade agreement since February 2025. The talks aim to strengthen economic ties while addressing long-standing differences over market access between the two countries.
Sitharaman said the trade balance currently favors India, while the United States has a deficit in its trade relationship with India. She said Washington wants to reduce this imbalance as part of the broader negotiations.
The latest comments indicate that reaching a final trade agreement could take more negotiations. India has been seeking better terms, while both countries continue discussions over the remaining issues in the proposed deal.
