US team to visit India amid fresh push for deal

In a fresh push to revive momentum in the bilateral economic engagement, a high-level US trade delegation led by Deputy US Trade Representative Ambassador Rick Schweitzer will visit New Delhi on December 10-11, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday.

Ambassador Schweitzer’s first official trip is, in a way, an introductory visit, where he will be meeting senior Indian Government officials,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

He said the two sides remained actively engaged in efforts to conclude a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial multi-sectoral bilateral trade agreement, a longstanding objective that both governments have been attempting to steer forward.

The visit comes at a sensitive moment in the India-US trade relations. Just last month, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had emphasised that Washington saw New Delhi as a “trusted partner”, despite turbulence in the global economy. Goyal dismissed suggestions of any slowdown in engagement, pointing to shared democratic values and a widening strategic partnership. He reiterated that India would continue to protect the interests of farmers, fishermen, small businesses and domestic industry in any trade negotiation.

However, ties have been strained by Washington’s decision to double tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, including 25 per cent levy on imports linked to India’s purchases of Russian crude. New Delhi had denounced the move as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”.

Officials believe that progress on a trade deal could help improve India’s export environment and cushion external economic headwinds.

Ambassador Schweitzer’s visit is expected to serve as a stock-taking opportunity and set the tone for the next phase of negotiations. His meetings in Delhi are likely to focus on tariff issues, market access, regulatory cooperation and streamlining trade flows, as both countries seek to re-energize one of the world’s most consequential economic partnerships.