There is no political will in India at present to conclude the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US, as a deal that imposes a disproportionate tariff-reduction burden on the country, particularly on the sensitive farm sector, is seen as “untenable”, sources said.The government is also concerned about the potential impact of steep tariff cuts on India’s balance of payments, as trade surplus with the US is already declining, and would rather wait for the outcome of the US Section 301 investigations than negotiate under the shadow of tariff threats.“At present, US tariffs on Indian exports are almost back to the levels that prevailed when President Donald Trump took office, as the reciprocal tariffs have been suspended and the additional 10 per cent global tariff imposed in their place is also set to lapse on July 24. In such a situation, it would be politically untenable for the government to accept a trade deal that places a disproportionate tariff-reduction burden on India,” a source tracking the matter told businessline.The US insistence on greater market access in agriculture has further complicated the negotiations. Farmers’ organisations have been opposing any move to open up the sector, arguing that Indian farmers cannot compete with heavily subsidised US agriculture.