NEW DELHI, June 23 -- India is willing to conclude an interim trade deal with the US, securing "preferential treatment" over competitors before July 24, but it is not tied to the July 24 date, when America's 10% temporary baseline tariff expires, Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday, announcing India's ambitious exports target of $1 trillion in 2026-27. "I have said it very often, India never negotiates with a deadline," he said in an interview to a TV channel, replying a specific question on whether New Delhi would conclude an interim bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US before July 24. The query is significant because of scheduled meetings between Goyal and visiting US trade representative Jamieson Greer on June 23-24. In a post on X, US ambassador Sergio Gor on Monday said Greer and Goyal have "multiple sessions" scheduled "to advance" the US-India trade deal. The talks are focused on finalising a new tariff architecture after the US Supreme Court on February 20 invalidated the 18% reciprocal duty on bulk of Indian goods as per the framework reached by the two countries on February 7. Subsequently, Washington on February 24 imposed a uniform 10% global tariff under Section 122 ; this is applicable for a maximum of 150 days without congressional approval. According to Indian government officials familiar with the matter, the February 7 framework between the two countries resolved most of the issues pertaining to an interim BTA barring the tariff that the US would offer. India wants a tariff that would give it comparative advantage against competitors. Reiterating his point on the 10% tariff, Goyal on Monday said that it would expire on July 24"in the US" and "that is not something which I have to be worried about"....