India, US Push Hard for Interim Trade Deal Amid G20 Talks in Milwaukee

India Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held critical talks in Milwaukee on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, pushing for an 'early conclusion of a mutually beneficial interim trade agreement' between the two nations. The high-stakes meeting, taking place on the sidelines of the G20 Trade Ministerial, signals a renewed bilateral drive to finalize a long-pending deal designed to significantly boost trade flows. The discussions come after India and the US had already set a framework for the initial phase of the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) in February, but subsequent changes in the US tariff landscape have complicated and extended negotiations. Minister Goyal previously indicated in September that the trade pact was 'done and dusted,' awaiting the US to grant India a 'competitive advantage' over other trading partners. This push for a deal coincided with a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, where leaders reviewed progress across various aspects of bilateral cooperation. As the G20 Trade Ministerial wraps up under the US Chairship, eyes will be on any concrete outcomes from these bilateral and multilateral talks, especially regarding the 'Milwaukee Framework' on steel overcapacity, a forum India is not part of. The proposed BTA aims to nearly triple bilateral trade to an ambitious $500 billion by 2030, a jump from the current $191 billion, making any interim agreement a vital stepping stone. Observers are keenly watching for signs that both sides can bridge remaining gaps and deliver a deal that has proven elusive for decades.