India and the US appear closer than at any point since the 2025 tariff blow‑up to clinching at least a first‑stage trade deal, though no dates are on the table yet. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and senior officials say “no sticky issues” remain and both sides are “working towards closure” of a bilateral trade agreement, with six rounds of talks already done. Indian officials describe an early‑harvest tranche focused on tariff alignment and non‑tariff barriers, while Washington has begun rolling back elevated duties on over 200 Indian farm and food products, signalling intent to de‑escalate. The political messaging: expect “good news” relatively soon, but not a formally announced deadline.