India-US trade talks end

Many of the toughest questions on agricultural commodities, e-commerce, and steel and aluminum, have been put off until Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal goes to Washington for talks with United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer next month.

The dates for that trip are yet to be settled. “No breakthrough,” said one of the senior Indian officials involved in the talks in New Delhi, which lasted a little over three hours. He declined to make any further comment. Two other Indian officials said they hoped that some of the issues will be resolved when Goyal goes to Washington.

Yesterday’s talks were more about understanding each other’s positions in various disputes, they said. In a short statement issued late on Friday, the Indian government said the countries agreed to continue their discussions for “addressing mutual trade concerns”.

The two sides resumed talks after US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in June and agreed to seek to deepen the two countries’ relationship. Trump said at that summit that there would be a “very big trade deal” with India, though he set no timeline.