Meet Rajesh Agrawal, India's Chief 'Tariff' Negotiator Holding Talks With US 

On Tuesday he held the first round of trade talks in New Delhi with the visiting US delegation led by his American counterpart, Assistant US Trade Representative Brendan Lynch. It is understood that both sides agreed to fast track the negotiations between the two countries.

Rajesh Agrawal: India’s Chief Negotiator 

Agrawal is currently serving the government as Special Secretary in the Department of Commerce and the government has anointed him as the next Commerce Secretary. 

He will take over as the secretary after the retirement of Sunil Barthwal on September 30. The senior bureaucrat will take charge of the Department of Commerce at a time when India struggles with US President Donald Trump's 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi government has assigned Agrawal the task of India’s chief negotiator in the trade deal with the US. He also leads the review of the free trade agreement in goods with the 10-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) bloc and negotiations for the proposed comprehensive trade pact with Australia and Peru, besides being the chief negotiator for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

According to government sources, the lead role which he has been playing as an in charge of the Agriculture & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), is likely to come in handy in the trade negotiations with the US.

Agrawal’s exposure to trade related issues were initiated when he was appointed the Executive Director at the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) in July 2019, where he served till June 2021. Later he was repatriated to his home cadre Manipur. 

Earlier, he had also served as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship between 2015 and 2019.

In his home cadre, Manipur, Agrawal served as the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Power till 2022. Soon after his repatriation, he also held the post of Chief Electoral Officer in Manipur for a brief period.

Agrawal holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics and Masters’ Degree in Operations Research from University of Delhi. He has also pursued an Executive Post-Graduate Diploma in International Business from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, according to his LinkedIn profile.

India-US Trade Talks

India and the United States resumed trade negotiations in New Delhi on September 16, aiming to make progress on a potential agreement. This development comes just weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods in response to India’s purchase of oil from Russia. In recent months, both countries have been working toward a possible interim trade pact, with the U.S. imposing a 50 per cent tariff on certain Indian exports.

It is believed that Indian officials have raised concerns about Washington's request for greater access to the Indian agricultural and dairy markets. These sectors are considered vital for India, as they support a large percentage of the population.