About a dozen officers from India were in Washington during April 20-22 to hold discussions with the US authorities on finalising the details of the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA).The talks deliberated on issues including market access, non-tariff measures, technical barriers to trade, customs and trade facilitation, investment promotion, economic security alignment and digital trade, the commerce ministry said in a statement.“The meetings were conducted in a constructive and positive spirit, with meaningful and forward-looking discussions enabling progress on key matters. Both sides agreed to remain engaged to maintain this momentum as they move forward,” it said.As the tariff landscape has changed in the US, both sides are re-looking at the framework of the agreement, the text of which was released on Feb 7. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said India is a “tough nut to crack”.
