On April 22, 2026, another round of India-US trade talks concluded in Washington, as negotiators sought clarity on the future of their trading relationship. These discussions followed legal challenges that have unsettled a framework agreement announced in February.
The Indian team, led by Additional Secretary Darpan Jain, met with US negotiators headed by Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch. The urgency of these talks is intensified by an approaching deadline, with high stakes involved in concluding an interim agreement before the Trump administration potentially announces new tariffs under Section 301.
Under the trade framework announced on February 7, Washington committed to reducing tariffs on Indian imports from a combined 50% to 18%. India agreed to lower tariffs on industrial and agricultural goods and planned to purchase $500 billion in US products.
However, the US Supreme Court struck down the reciprocal tariffs on February 20, prompting the administration to impose a temporary 15% tariff under Section 122, set to expire in July. In March, Section 301 investigations into alleged unfair manufacturing practices were announced against India and other major economies.
The conclusion of an interim bilateral trade agreement could resolve India’s exposure to Section 301, but the window for achieving this before new tariffs are announced is narrowing.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, April 22, 2026
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