India, US agree to further boost trade ties, work together on critical minerals

India and the United States have agreed to boost trade relations and expand cooperation, particularly in crucial sectors like critical minerals, said the United States Trade Representative, Katherine Tai on Saturday. Trade Minister Piyush Goyal and Tai engaged in their annual trade policy discussions in New Delhi on January 12, during Tai’s three-day visit to India. During talks between Tai and Goyal, India said it was interested in a bilateral critical mineral partnership. Despite diplomatic tensions stemming from Washington’s allegations late last year, asserting a connection between an Indian official and a thwarted plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader on U.S. soil, both nations are actively working to improve bilateral trade prospects. India has said any such action was contrary to government policy and launched its own investigation into the allegations. Washington and New Delhi would exchange information to deepen their partnership in this area, said an Indian official, who didn’t wish to be named as discussions are not public. “In terms of the roadmap (for critical minerals), we are going to begin with fact-finding, exploring and establishing a common vocabulary and then develop our tools and ideas from there,” Tai told a news briefing in New Delhi. India also asked the United States to improve its visa processes for business professionals from India and requested Washington restore duty-free access to some goods under the so-called generalized system of preferences, according to a joint statement issued after the Jan. 12 meeting. A U.S. trade preference program, which India had access to for decades, was ended by former President Donald Trump in 2019. During her talks in New Delhi, Tai asked India to ensure that New Delhi’s policies on laptop imports do not restrict trade. With inputs from Reuters.