WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The United States and India are holding virtual talks on digital trade, non-tariff barriers and regulatory issues as they work toward a bilateral trade agreement.
According to Moneycontrol, people familiar with the negotiations said India may consider concessions to the U.S. on digital trade, though no final decisions have been reached.
The talks include India’s data-governance rules, market access for digital services and regulations governing cross-border data flows. The issues are particularly important to U.S. technology companies operating in India.
The discussions build on a broader trade framework agreed to in February that identified non-tariff barriers involving medical devices, technology products, agricultural goods and food products.
The framework also addressed India’s import licensing requirements for information and communications technology products, including laptops, tablets, computers and servers, as well as standards and testing requirements.
Cross-border data flows and data localization remain key issues, although both countries have said any commitments would remain subject to their domestic laws.
The U.S. Trade Representative’s 2026 National Trade Estimate report raised concerns about India’s ICT import rules, digital regulations and market access. Similar issues were discussed during the World Trade Organization’s Trade Policy Review of India in July.
India has already adopted broader digital trade provisions in its agreement with the European Union, including rules on electronic transactions, e-invoicing, e-contracts, cybersecurity, consumer protection and cross-border data flows.
The February U.S.-India framework also outlined tariff changes. India would reduce or eliminate tariffs on several U.S. industrial and agricultural products, while Washington agreed to an 18% reciprocal tariff rate for qualifying Indian goods.
Additional tariff relief is tied to completion of the broader trade agreement, making progress on digital trade and regulatory barriers an important part of the negotiations.
India and the U.S. have not yet reached a final agreement, and further talks are expected.
