India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal sat down with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in New York on September 23 to tackle the first phase of a potential India-US trade agreement. Sources close to the talks say the meeting zeroed in on major hurdles, and both sides feel optimistic about sealing an interim deal soon.
Neither India nor the U.S. has released official details yet about this latest round of India-US trade negotiations. The discussions follow closely on the heels of another meeting in Delhi, where U.S. Assistant Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch talked trade with India’s top negotiator, Rajesh Agrawal. Indian officials described those chats as positive, covering key parts of the trade deal, and both agreed to ramp up their efforts.
But these India-US trade talks are getting some tough competition from bigger news: the Trump administration’s recent crackdown on H-1B visas. On Friday, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation slapping a whopping $100,000 fee on every new H-1B visa application. That sparked a weekend of confusion, with many worrying it could snag current H-1B visa holders trying to return to the U.S.
The White House quickly cleared things up in a statement to on Saturday. A spokesperson explained it’s a one-time fee that hits only new H-1B visas—not renewals or existing holders. “It will first kick in during the next upcoming lottery cycle,” the official added.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs pushed back, warning that the H-1B visa changes could lead to “humanitarian consequences” for workers and families.
These renewed India-US trade talks got a boost from a friendly phone call between President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump reached out on September 16 to wish Modi a happy 75th birthday, reigniting momentum after a pause in negotiations.
Modi shared his thanks on X (formerly Twitter), calling Trump a “friend” and pledging to elevate the India-US Comprehensive and Global Partnership. He also voiced support for Trump’s push toward a peaceful end to the Ukraine conflict. “Thank you, my friend, President Trump, for your phone call and warm greetings on my 75th birthday,” Modi wrote. “Like you, I am also fully committed to taking the India-US Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights.”
Trump echoed the warmth on Truth Social, describing the call as “wonderful.” “Just had a wonderful phone call with my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I wished him a very Happy Birthday! He is doing a tremendous job. Narendra: Thank you for your support on ending the War between Russia and Ukraine! President DJT,” he posted.
As these India-US trade talks heat up, all eyes are on whether the two nations can bridge their differences amid visa tensions and global priorities.
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