India and the United States have agreed to strengthen trade ties and deepen cooperation in areas such as important minerals, US Trade Representative Catherine Tay said on Saturday, Reuters reported.

India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Catherine Tay held their annual trade policy talks in New Delhi on January 12. Tai is on a three-day visit to India.

The two countries are working to improve bilateral trade prospects, overcoming diplomatic tensions after Washington said late last year that an Indian official was involved in a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader on US soil.

India said any such actions were against government policy and launched its own investigation into the allegations.

During the talks between Tai and Goyal, India said it was interested in an important bilateral mineral partnership.

Washington and New Delhi will exchange information to deepen their partnership in this area, said an Indian official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are not public.

“In terms of the roadmap (for critical minerals), we will start with fact-finding, exploration and creating a common vocabulary, and then develop our tools and ideas from that,” Ty said at a briefing in New Delhi.

India also asked the United States to improve its visa processes for Indian professionals and asked Washington to restore duty-free access to some goods under the so-called Generalized System of Preferences, according to a joint statement issued after the January 12 meeting.

The US preferential trade program, which India had access to for decades, was rescinded by former President Donald Trump in 2019.

During talks in New Delhi, Catherine Tye asked India to ensure that New Delhi’s policy on laptop imports does not restrict trade. [Sursa: News.ro]