India remains in discussions with the United States on the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), and the first tranche of the deal — focused on resolving reciprocal tariff issues — is “near closure,” Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Monday while releasing the October trade data.

Agrawal said virtual negotiations on the BTA have been underway for several months. The agreement has two components: a broader segment that will require deeper negotiations, and an initial tranche designed specifically to address tariff-related concerns.

“The part relating to reciprocal tariffs should happen sooner rather than later,” he said, while clarifying that it is not possible to set a firm deadline for completion.

The BTA was formally proposed in February following directions from the leade

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