<p class="title">US and Indian trade teams started negotiations on Friday as tensions mount over protectionist measures taken by both sides.</p>.<p class="bodytext">While India and the United States have become increasingly close in recent years, US President Donald Trump took a swipe at the giant South Asian nation on Twitter this week, saying that India's tariffs were "no longer acceptable".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Washington removed India from a list of countries that got duty-free access for more than $6 billion of imports to the US earlier this year. The move came on the back of higher US tariffs on Indian steel and aluminium.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In response, an angry New Delhi imposed higher duties on 28 US products including almonds, apples and walnuts last month.</p>.<p class="bodytext">US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross earlier criticised India's trade policies and tariff rules, saying they posed a big impediment to attracting foreign investment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As the sparring between the two sides heated up, Trump and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the talks when they met in Osaka, on the sidelines of June's G20 Summit.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Assistant US Trade Representative Christopher Wilson met Indian commerce industry officials in Delhi on Friday, ahead of a meeting with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, ministry sources said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said Thursday that all decisions in the talks would aim to keep relations "positive".</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We have to keep in mind the bigger picture and within that bigger picture try to address all the issues which are on the table," Kumar told a briefing.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India-US trade was worth $142.1 billion in 2018 with the United States $24.2 billion in deficit. The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum has predicted trade will go up to $238 billion by 2025.</p>
<p class="title">US and Indian trade teams started negotiations on Friday as tensions mount over protectionist measures taken by both sides.</p>.<p class="bodytext">While India and the United States have become increasingly close in recent years, US President Donald Trump took a swipe at the giant South Asian nation on Twitter this week, saying that India's tariffs were "no longer acceptable".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Washington removed India from a list of countries that got duty-free access for more than $6 billion of imports to the US earlier this year. The move came on the back of higher US tariffs on Indian steel and aluminium.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In response, an angry New Delhi imposed higher duties on 28 US products including almonds, apples and walnuts last month.</p>.<p class="bodytext">US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross earlier criticised India's trade policies and tariff rules, saying they posed a big impediment to attracting foreign investment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As the sparring between the two sides heated up, Trump and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the talks when they met in Osaka, on the sidelines of June's G20 Summit.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Assistant US Trade Representative Christopher Wilson met Indian commerce industry officials in Delhi on Friday, ahead of a meeting with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, ministry sources said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said Thursday that all decisions in the talks would aim to keep relations "positive".</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We have to keep in mind the bigger picture and within that bigger picture try to address all the issues which are on the table," Kumar told a briefing.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India-US trade was worth $142.1 billion in 2018 with the United States $24.2 billion in deficit. The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum has predicted trade will go up to $238 billion by 2025.</p>