US chief trade negotiator reaching India for day-long talks: Govt official

New Delhi, Sep 15: US chief negotiator Brendan Lynch is arriving here late on Monday for a day-long talk on the proposed India-US bilateral trade deal, according to a senior commerce ministry official.

Five rounds of negotiations for the India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA) have been held, and the sixth round of talks, scheduled from August 25-29, was postponed following the imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods by the US.

"Tomorrow's talks will be a precursor to the sixth round of negotiations," the official said.

The US chief negotiator is expected to reach India tonight. Lynch is the Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia.

He oversees the development and implementation of US trade policy with regard to 15 countries in the region, including management of the US-India Trade Policy Forum (TPF) as well as coordination of activity under Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs) with regional partners.

India's exports have been affected following the imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on shipments to the US.