Need To Accelerate India, US Trade Pact Talks: Experts

New Delhi: India should accelerate discussions for the proposed bilateral trade agreement with the US as the deal could help secure preferential market access, improve investor protections, and encourage technology partnerships between the two countries, experts said on Monday.

They also said that the pact is critical for India to address long-standing non-tariff barriers in sectors like chemicals, telecom equipment, and medical devices, which were explicitly flagged in the US tariff statement.

Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for standards and testing protocols could be a strategic step forward in reducing regulatory friction and improving market access in these sensitive sectors, they added. Even though the new US tariffs might put short-term pressure on India's key export sectors, the broader strategic landscape offers significant long-term advantages, Rudra Kumar Pandey, Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, said.