India-U.S. interim trade pact likely to be operationalised in April, says Commerce Minister

An interim trade agreement between India and the U.S. is likely to be signed in March and operationalised in April, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday (February 20, 2026).

He also said that India’s free trade agreements (FTAs) with the U.K. and Oman are likely to be implemented in April. With New Zealand, the pact is expected to be implemented in September.

A three-day meeting between Indian and American officials to finalise the legal text for an interim trade agreement will begin in the US on February 23.

Earlier this month, India and the U.S. released a joint statement to announce that a framework for an interim trade agreement has been finalised.