Indian team to visit US next week to finalise trade pact

Commerce Secretary Agrawal says legal text for interim deal likely to be signed in March

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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A team of Indian officials will visit the US next week to finalize the legal text for an interim trade agreement between the two countries, which is expected to be signed in March, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Monday. The joint statement laying out the contours of the deal has already been released, and now the legal agreement needs to be worked out.

Why it matters

The interim trade pact is seen as an important step towards deeper economic ties between India and the US. It will involve both sides extending duty concessions on a number of goods traded between them, which could boost bilateral trade.

The details

The Indian delegation will be led by Chief Negotiator Darpan Jain, the joint secretary in the Commerce Ministry. The US has already announced it will reduce the reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 18%, and is expected to complete the process this week. Any further tariff reductions or market access will only be extended after the legal agreement is signed.

  • The Indian team's visit to the US is likely to start on February 23, 2026.
  • The interim trade pact is expected to be signed in March 2026.
  • Additional negotiations may continue in July and March, if needed, to finalize the legal agreement.

The players

Rajesh Agrawal

The Commerce Secretary of India who announced the upcoming visit of the Indian team to the US to finalize the legal text for the interim trade agreement.

Darpan Jain

The joint secretary in the Commerce Ministry who will be leading the Indian delegation to the US next week.

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What they’re saying

“The joint statement lays down the contours of the deal. Now, the contours of the deal have to be translated into a legal agreement, which will be signed between the two sides.”

— Rajesh Agrawal, Commerce Secretary (fortuneindia.com)

“Next week, (India's) chief negotiator Darpan Jain will be leading a delegation to the US to finalise the legal (pact) to work towards the legal agreement. That work will carry on next week in Washington and, if need be, thereafter in July and March.”

— Rajesh Agrawal, Commerce Secretary (fortuneindia.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This interim trade pact between India and the US is an important step towards strengthening economic ties between the two countries, and the finalization of the legal text next week will pave the way for the agreement to be signed in March.