---
title: "India–US Trade Talks Hit ‘Plateau’ Over Deep Demands, Says Sitharaman"
url: https://mediathepower.com/india-us-trade-talks-hit-plateau-over-deep-demands-says-sitharaman/
date: 2026-10-06
modified: 2026-10-11
lang: en
author: "Rajiv Singh"
description: "NEW DELHI — Negotiations for a long-anticipated bilateral trade pact between India and the United States have reached a “plateau,” making further demands or concessions highly difficult for both nations,..."
categories:
  - "World News"
image: https://mediathepower.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/nirmala.jpg
word_count: 289
---

# India–US Trade Talks Hit ‘Plateau’ Over Deep Demands, Says Sitharaman

**NEW DELHI** — Negotiations for a long-anticipated bilateral trade pact between India and the United States have **reached a “plateau,”** making further demands or concessions highly difficult for both nations, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Monday.

Speaking at the Munich Leaders Meeting in New Delhi, Sitharaman described the ongoing talks as "hard and very rigorously negotiated". While she maintained that dialogues are still active, she indicated that both sides have effectively hit a wall regarding what they can compromise on.

- **The Deficit Dilemma:** The current trade balance strongly favors India. Washington is aggressively pushing for market access to reduce its trade deficit, citing historical losses.

- **Unfair Trade Probes:** Complicating matters, Washington launched an investigation into unfair trade practices targeting multiple nations, including India.

- **Strategic Redlines:** India continues to prioritize safeguarding its own economically sensitive domains like agriculture, dairy, and domestic manufacturing.

The stagnation comes as a stark contrast to recent optimistic projections. In June, US Ambassador Sergio Gor claimed the deal was 99% finalized. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also referred to it as "almost done and dusted" just last month.

However, following Goyal's meeting with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington last week, American officials tempered expectations, noting that while the pact is in its final stages, an agreement is "not imminent".

Contrasting EU Success

While Washington talks stall, New Delhi is making definitive economic strides elsewhere. Sitharaman confirmed that **India and the European Union are set to officially sign their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) this December**.

Crucially, she noted that India's imports of Russian crude oil did not act as a deterrent or feature as a condition in the EU deal. This highlights India’s success in isolating its energy strategy from its geopolitical trade frameworks.