India and the United States are set to discuss trade issues in a call scheduled for Jan. 13, Washington’s newly appointed ambassador to New Delhi said on Monday, signalling renewed engagement after stalled negotiations strained bilateral ties and unsettled financial markets.
Speaking as he formally assumed his post in New Delhi, Sergio Gor said both sides remain actively involved in talks despite last year’s breakdown in negotiations.
“Both sides continue to actively engage. In fact, the next call on trade will occur tomorrow,” Gor said, adding that the two countries would also continue cooperation on security, counterterrorism, energy, technology, education and health.
Trade discussions between India and the United States collapsed in 2025, after which U.S. President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent in August. The measures included a 25 per cent levy aimed at penalizing New Delhi for purchasing Russian oil.
The failure to reach an agreement has weighed on investor confidence and contributed to the Indian rupee falling to a record low. Gor’s comments, however, appeared to calm markets, with India’s benchmark Nifty 50 index recovering modestly in midday trading.
Gor also said India would be invited next month to join Pax Silica, a U.S.-led initiative aimed at building a secure silicon supply chain spanning critical minerals, semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal separately confirmed that New Delhi remains in discussions with Washington in pursuit of a trade deal.
“The United States and India are bound not just by shared interests, but by a relationship anchored at the highest level,” Gor said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously agreed with U.S. leaders to target a trade agreement by fall 2025 and to more than double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030. As part of those efforts, India pledged to help narrow a $47 billion goods trade gap by purchasing up to $25 billion in U.S. energy and increasing defence imports.
Reuters has reported that the two sides came close to finalizing a deal last year, but negotiations ultimately collapsed due to a communication breakdown.
“Real friends can disagree,” Gor said, “but always resolve their differences in the end.”