US team held trade talks in New Delhi on 2 to 3 November

A two-member US trade and customs delegation held bilateral discussions with India's Commerce Ministry in New Delhi on 2 and 3 November, government sources said. The talks focused on streamlining customs procedures, removing non-tariff administrative bottlenecks, and advancing trade facilitation as part of the proposed India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). CNBC-TV18 reported that both sides had finalised the framework for the first tranche of the BTA in February 2026, but changes in tariffs following a US Supreme Court order led to further discussions.

On 26 October, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said most discussions had been concluded and the agreement was being fine-tuned. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in October the deal was 'incredibly close', with an agreement expected in weeks rather than months. Hindustan Times reported that Indian officials ruled out any interruption in talks due to the outcome of recent US midterm elections, and that trade experts cited uncertainties from Washington's tariff measures as major hurdles to signing an interim BTA. The framework for an interim BTA was outlined in a joint statement on 7 February.

Update, 11 November 2026: Hindustan Times adds that Indian officials ruled out any interruption in talks due to US midterm election results, and that trade experts cited tariff uncertainties as a major hurdle. CNBC-TV18 reports the framework was finalised in February 2026 but further talks followed a US Supreme Court tariff ruling. Rediff and Telegraph confirm the two-member US visit.