New Delhi: An interim trade agreement between India and the United States is expected to be put into effect in April 2026, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday. The minister has also stated that India is set to operationalise Free Trade Agreements with the UK and Oman in April, while a deal with New Zealand is expected by September, according to reports.
The US and India are preparing for a three-day negotiation beginning February 23 in the United States, in which officials from both governments will finalise the legal text of the interim pact, reported Times Now. Once completed, this text is expected to pave the way for formal approval and operationalisation next month. The interim agreement follows a joint framework announcement earlier this month, where India and the US agreed on key aspects of mutual trade cooperation. Under this framework, reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods are set to be lowered — with about half of Indian exports to the US entering duty-free and others facing significantly reduced rates — while India’s tariff reductions on US products will also take effect once the deal becomes operational.
The interim deal is seen as a stepping stone towards a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement, which both countries have been working toward for several months.
