New Delhi, July 12 (UNI) A visiting team from US trade officials met Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday and discussed several issues that have strained ties between the two countries.
"We deliberated on several issues to take our deep, historic and strong trade relationship to the next level," Goyal said in a tweet after the meeting which he said was meant "to strengthen India-US trade ties."
A report by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum earlier said two-way trade is likely to grow to $238 billion by 2025 from the current $143 billion if trade grows by 7.5 per cent each year, as has been the trend for the last seven years.
The US team was led by Assistant US Trade Representative for South & Central Asia, Christopher Wilson.
The meeting was scheduled after Trump and Prime Minister met in Osaka last month on the sidelines of the G-20 conference and decided to instruct their trade teams to re-start talks.
Ahead of the talks, a USTR spokesperson had said both sides would focus on "relationship building".
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, during his weekly briefing on Thursday, said, "Now there are quite a few issues on the table which you are aware. Our approach is to engage with them very constructively, in a very positive manner...
"I think it is important to keep in mind when we engage on this issue that the trajectory of the relationship remains positive, we have to keep in mind the bigger picture and within that big picture try to address all the issues which are on the table."
The US wants India to reduce high import duty on certain American products. Ahead of the meeting, President Donald Trump even warned India saying that "India has long had a field day putting Tariffs on American products. No longer acceptable!"
UNI SRJ