New Delhi, March 10 -- As India and the US huddle to finalise the contours of a wide-ranging bilateral trade agreement (BTA), the two sides now appear inclined to ink a preliminary trade agreement first, two people aware of the matter said on the condition of anonymity.

According to the first person, the preliminary agreement is being deliberated while keeping sensitive issues like immigration policies and intellectual property (IP) transfers off the table. As for what may likely be in, tariff concessions have been proposed for lentils, almonds and advanced technology products in the pharmaceutical sector, among others.

Indian negotiators have emphasised a structured reduction in duties, similar to the frameworks established in the coun...