India, US to begin trade talks today

New Delhi: A series of meetings between senior trade officials from India and the US are lined up in the next few weeks as the two countries try to iron out their trade differences, even as the ‘two plus two’ dialogue will focus on diplomatic and security issues.

Gilbert Kaplan, US under-secretary of commerce for international trade, is meeting commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday and commerce secretary Anup Wadhawan later. “This is an official level intersessional meeting of the commercial dialogue,” said an official in the know of details.

The engagement follows a visit by Indian officials to the US last week, the first after India deferred its $235-million worth retaliation tariffs against 29 US goods by 45 days to September 18. US trade representative (USTR) for south and central Asian affairs Mark Linscott and deputy USTR Jeffrey D Gerrish are likely to visit India next week to continue the talks.


High on the agenda are the penal duties imposed by the US on Indian steel and aluminium on ground of security concerns, and continuation of preferential benefits to Indian exports under US Generalised System of Preferences.

On the US concerns over its trade deficit with India, New Delhi has said it can’t commit to the amount by which it can reduce this gap.

“Both countries have limited ability to commit a trade value for future years as most trade would be by private parties,” said a commerce department official. “We are engaged in talks to find out a mutually satisfactory solution.”