The US has upped the ante on India’s digital and energy policies as the two countries work towards finalising the bilateral trade deal. The White House put out a fact sheet on the bilateral trade deal, noting that India will remove its digital services taxes. It simultaneously underscored a mutual commitment to negotiate robust rules to end discriminatory and burdensome practices, notably a permanent ban on Customs duties for electronic transmissions. Experts warned that India has to be watchful while finalising the trade deal to protect its sovereignty in crucial areas, including digital trade. It also listed areas that are to be negotiated as part of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA), including remaining tariff barriers, additional non-tariff barriers, technical barriers to trade, services & investments, and also areas that India, till recently, safeguarded in trade deals such as intellectual property, labour, environment and government procurement, as per a report.
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