Indian team to visit US next week to finalise legal text for trade pact

A team of Indian officials will visit the US next week to finalise the legal text for an interim trade agreement, which is expected to be signed in March, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Monday.

 

The visit is likely to start from February 23.

 

India and the US earlier this month released a joint statement announcing that a framework for an interim trade agreement has been finalised.

 

"The joint statement lays down the contours of the deal. Now the contours of the deal has to be translated into a legal agreement, which will be signed between the two sides," he told reporters here.

 

Both sides are engaged in finalising that legal agreement and virtual talks are going on.

 

"Next week (India's) chief negotiator Darpan Jain will be leading a delegation to the US to finalise the legal trade agreement," he said.