India on Wednesday unveiled reforms aimed at reducing bureaucracy and streamlining import quality inspections, responding to U.S. criticism over the country’s ‘burdensome’ import standards.
The decision comes as New Delhi and Washington continue trade deal negotiations, with India seeking relief from a 50% tariff that U.S. President Donald Trump had imposed on certain key exports tied to India’s Russian oil purchases.
“The reforms aim to accelerate processes, reduce turnaround times, and leverage technology-driven systems to make quality assurance faster, more transparent, and more accessible for enterprises, institutions, and citizens,” said Jaxay Shah, the chairman of the Quality Council of India.
On Monday, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that India and the United States are in the final stages of negotiations on the bilateral trade deal.
According to the commerce ministry, the changes will make documentation easier, accelerate processing, and decrease the number of inspections for quality approvals.
Goyal noted that India has concluded free trade deals with three members of the Five Eyes alliance—Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand—leaving the U.S. and Canada as the remaining members.
Goyal mentioned that India will also soon re-engage with Canada for a bilateral trade pact, emphasizing that the move reflects the country’s growing global geopolitical importance.
India continues to actively engage with the United States to secure a mutually beneficial and balanced trade agreement at the earliest opportunity. Efforts toward the bilateral pact formally began in February, when leaders of both countries instructed officials to start negotiations. The initial goal was to complete the first phase by fall 2025, and six rounds of talks have been held so far.
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