India-US trade relations: Parliamentary commerce panel hears stakeholders in Raipur

A parliamentary commerce panel met industry groups in Raipur on Thursday to review India-US trade relations. The discussion focused on trade, investment, exports, imports, and wider economic cooperation. The engagement came as India and US officials held talks to finalise a trade deal. The meeting was part of the panel’s ongoing work on the topic.

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The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DRPSC) on Commerce held detailed deliberations on "Evaluation of India-US Trade Relations", according to a government release. Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen chaired the session. The meeting took place at a hotel in the Chhattisgarh capital. The panel sought practical inputs to support its assessment of bilateral ties.

India-US trade relations review during DRPSC study tour

The Raipur meeting formed part of the committee’s study tour across Ahmedabad, Raipur and Bhubaneswar from June 10 to 12. The visit aimed to collect first-hand feedback from stakeholders and officials. The release said the inputs would help the panel prepare a comprehensive, fact-based report. The panel used the tour to compare views across regions.

During the interaction, members heard from agricultural and processed food producers, processors and exporters. Regional representatives of industry associations and chambers of commerce also shared observations. The committee used these views to examine how trade flows work on the ground. It also looked at barriers that affect cross-border commerce and investment.

India-US trade relations and farm, processed food exports

Several bodies joined the deliberations, including APEDA, AIFPA, AIREA and IFBA. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Department of Commerce also participated. Stakeholders discussed ways to promote exports and widen global market access. The focus remained on agricultural and processed food products linked to India-US trade.

The cross-party committee examined opportunities to strengthen trade ties and deepen economic engagement. Members offered suggestions on different elements of bilateral trade. The discussion covered practical measures that could support cooperation between India and the US. The panel also reviewed how policy choices may shape future trade and investment outcomes.

MPs Amra Ram, Biswajit Sinha, Ramesh Awasthi, Atul Garg and Renuka Chowdhury attended the meeting. The session continued the committee’s broader evaluation of India-US trade relations during the June 10 to 12 study tour. The panel’s findings are expected to feed into its report, based on stakeholder and official inputs.

With inputs from PTI