India, June 23 -- Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Tuesday began crucial discussions in New Delhi aimed at finalising the first phase of the proposed India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

Greer is visiting India for high-level negotiations focused on resolving pending issues and advancing the framework of the trade pact. Senior officials, including Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and India's chief negotiator Darpan Jain, are participating in the discussions at Vanijya Bhawan.

The meeting follows earlier chief negotiator-level talks held in June and comes amid growing optimism about the agreement. US President Donald Trump recently stated that both countries are "very close" ...