US trade negotiating team led by Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer is scheduled to be in India next week for a three-day discussion with Indian counterparts on the first phase of the bilateral trade deal which hasn’t progressed substantially since pre-Diwali talks in Washington DC, sources said.

“The talks will begin on December 10 and would be at an informal level, not to be counted as a formal round,” a source tracking the matter told businessline .

The timing of the American team’s visit is important as it comes close on the heels of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s much publicised visit to New Delhi on December 4-5 and pledges by both countries to increase bilateral trade and investments.

New Delhi is keen that the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement focuses p

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