India waits for US response on mini trade deal of the kind signed with EU

New Delhi continues to push an early-harvest deal, to be followed up with detailed negotiations on a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement

While the US has signed a mini trade deal with the European Union to put to bed multiple contentious trade spats, the Donald Trump administration is yet to respond to India’s suggestion of signing a similar deal.

Commerce ministry officials say India  has confirmed its position that an early-harvest bilateral trade pact should be signed soon, to be followed up with detailed talks on a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA). However, talks have slowed as the Americans have not committed to a broad deadline and are yet to respond on key proposals.

A number of sudden demands by the US, such as