New Delhi, Oct. 13 -- With the 2025 fall deadline for the India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA) approaching, the two sides have intensified activity to bridge differences on key issues such as tariffs, digital trade, and agricultural access to flesh out what officials describe as a "mutually beneficial" deal, two people familiar with the matter said.

Commerce secretary Rajesh Agarwal is likely to lead a high-level delegation to Washington this week, just ahead of Diwali, to work through the remaining gaps, a senior government official said.

Agarwal, who took charge on 1 October after serving as India's chief negotiator, will be joined by Darpan Jain, joint secretary in the commerce ministry and B.M. Mishra, director in the same depar...