Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is scheduled to travel to the United States late this month to attend the G20 trade ministerial meeting in Milwaukee. During the visit, he is expected to engage in bilateral discussions with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, a senior official confirmed on Tuesday.
The two-day G20 ministerial event kicks off on September 30, hosted under the 2026 US G20 presidency.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal stated, "We expect during the visit, definitely there will be bilateral meetings between the ministers....Bilateral is in the offing...Once it is worked out, we will let you know."
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He further noted, "And whenever the bilateral takes place, I think all issues, trade issues between India and the US, will be discussed. And even the ongoing FTA (free trade agreement) negotiations and the way forward on that will definitely be on the agenda for discussion."
The G20 serves as a premier international forum gathering major advanced and emerging economies to coordinate global economic policy. Goyal's upcoming trip carries significant weight as India and the US continue negotiations toward a bilateral trade agreement (BTA).
India-EU FTA progress
Regarding the India-EU free trade pact, Agarwal indicated that the agreement is on track for signature before the close of the year.
The European Commission has already forwarded the trade accord to the European Council for approval, which paves the way for its official signing.
"We expect to sign it before the end of this year. That is our expectation. After signing, it goes to the European Parliament for approval and ratification. And that process takes a bit of time, but we hope that will also be done. I think as far as the process is concerned, till now this is the fastest that is happening in terms of signing and ratification," Agarwal explained.
