Tag: EconomicPartnership

India-Bhutan Customs Meeting: Enhancing Trade Cooperation

The 6th Joint Group of Customs (JGC) Meeting between India and Bhutan was held on 24th-25th April 2025 in Thimphu, Bhutan. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Surjit Bhujabal, Special Secretary and Member (Customs), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Government of India, and Mr. Sonam Jamtsho, Director General, Department of Revenue and Customs, Ministry of Finance, Royal Government of Bhutan.

India is Bhutan’s top trade partner both as an import source and as an export destination accounting for about 80% of Bhutan’s overall trade. Trade with Bhutan through the land Customs Stations is significant as Bhutan is a land-locked country. The India-Bhutan Joint Group of Customs meetings are held annually to discuss issues relating to re-defining and re-engineering of Customs procedures, promote Customs cooperation and Cross-border trade facilitation with alignment to global best practices. There are 10 Land Customs Stations along the India-Bhutan Border in the States of West Bengal (6) and Assam (4).

The 6th JGC meeting discussed a host of bilateral issues for enhancing trade and transit between the two countries. The automation and digitisation of transit processes, Coordinated Border Management (CBM), pre-arrival exchange of Customs data, Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) and movement of transit cargo under Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) were discussed, among others. The meeting concluded on an optimistic note.

Bhutanese side extended their sincere thanks to CBIC for their continued support, especially recognising the capacity-building workshop titled ‘Advancing India Bhutan Trade and Economic Partnership’, held from 29th July to 1st August, 2024, which played a vital role in easing export processes and addressing trade-related concerns. India proposed extending capacity building programmes in the areas of Risk Management System (RMS), Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), Food Safety Standards besides need-based capacity building for importers and exporters from the Bhutanese side.

Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening Customs cooperation, enhancing trade facilitation, and ensuring secure and efficient border management.

US-India Trade Deal: Key Takeaways from April 23 Talks

India and the United States have finalised the terms of reference (ToRs) for a proposed bilateral trade agreement, encompassing around 19 chapters covering key areas such as goods, services, customs facilitation and more, PTI reported on Saturday, citing official sources.

The two countries are currently engaged in intensive negotiations and are aiming to conclude the first phase of the agreement by the fall of this year.

An Indian official delegation led by Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce, is scheduled to visit Washington next week for the first round of in-person negotiations. The three-day talks will begin on April 23.

The scheduled visit follows a recent trip by a high-level US delegation to India to finalise a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in February, both sides agreed to pursue a comprehensive BTA with the target of doubling bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030.

The two sides are looking to leverage a 90-day suspension of additional tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump. Officials indicated that some parts of the BTA could be concluded within this window, potentially finalising what are being described as “low hanging fruits.

Lot of possibilities are there to finalise form and shape of the BTA,” a senior official said, adding that “everything is possible in 90 days” if the deal proves to be mutually beneficial.

On April 15, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal had stated that India will try to close the negotiations as quickly as possible with the US.

He also stated that India has decided to follow the trade liberalisation path with the US.

Trade agreements typically involve reducing or eliminating customs duties and easing rules for services and investments.

While the US is seeking duty concessions in areas such as industrial goods, electric vehicles, wines, petrochemicals, dairy, and agricultural products like apples and tree nuts, India is expected to push for relief in labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery, leather, and horticulture.

Between 2021-22 and 2024-25, the US was India’s largest trading partner, accounting for nearly 18% of its goods exports and 10.73% of bilateral trade. In 2024-25, India registered a goods trade surplus of USD 41.18 billion with the US, up from USD 35.32 billion in 2023-24.

To address the widening trade gap and support US manufacturing, President Trump on April 2 announced sweeping tariffs, including a 26% duty on Indian products, only to pause them for 90 days.

India’s top exports to the US in 2024 included drug formulations and biologicals (USD 8.1 billion), telecom instruments (USD 6.5 billion), and precious stones (USD 5.3 billion), while key imports were crude oil (USD 4.5 billion), petroleum products (USD 3.6 billion), and coal (USD 3.4 billion).