Commerce Ministry Seeks Exporters’ Inputs On US Market Access Concerns Ahead Of Trade Talks

New Delhi, Sep 2 (KNN) The Commerce Ministry has sought inputs from industry and exporters on concerns related to access to the US market, which will be taken up with American counterparts, an official said on Tuesday.

The meeting, chaired by Commerce Ministry Additional Secretary and India’s chief negotiator for the India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA) Darpan Jain, reviewed recent trade trends and sector-wise performance, PTI reported.

Exporters said US order books remained healthy but order volumes had declined amid tariff uncertainty. Buyers were also avoiding large and long-term orders and diversifying their import sources, they said.

Industry representatives also urged the ministry to expedite negotiations on the BTA to provide greater certainty on tariffs. Concerns over US safeguard measures on quartz surface products were also raised.

Representatives from pharmaceuticals, engineering, textiles, agriculture, chemicals, marine products, leather, automobiles, auto components, handicrafts and plastics participated in the meeting. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Assocham and Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) also attended.

The consultations come ahead of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s planned US visit in late September for the G20 Trade Ministerial in Milwaukee, where he is expected to hold bilateral talks with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Goyal may also lead a business delegation to Chicago.

India-US Trade

India and the US are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement, with tariff changes in the US continuing to influence the talks. The US imposed an additional 10 per cent tariff on several countries, including India, from July 24.

India’s exports to the US rose marginally to USD 87.31 billion in 2025-26 from USD 86.51 billion a year earlier, while imports increased 17.16 per cent to USD 53.45 billion. Total bilateral trade rose 6.53 per cent to USD 140.76 billion.

During April-July 2026-27, India’s exports to the US increased 3 per cent to USD 34.5 billion, while imports rose 22.42 per cent to USD 22.12 billion.

(KNN Bureau)