Brendan Lynch, the Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, is in Delhi to resume trade talks with India. The discussions, involving India’s chief negotiator Rajesh Agrawal and other officials, center on a bilateral trade agreement. Originally planned for late August, the talks were postponed and have now recommenced.
As Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Lynch is responsible for U.S. trade policy in 15 countries within South and Central Asia, including the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum. He also coordinates activities under Trade and Investment Framework Agreements in the region.
Before his current role, Lynch served as the Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia, managing negotiations across sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, services, and intellectual property rights. He also previously held the position of Director for India at the United States Trade Representative (USTR), where he managed the bilateral trade relationship.
Lynch joined USTR in 2013, working in the Office of Agricultural Affairs. There, he advocated for U.S. agricultural trade interests and handled agricultural negotiations with various countries, including those in South and Central Asia, Taiwan, Israel, Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, and Russia.
Before his time at USTR, Lynch worked as an International Trade Analyst at the US International Trade Commission, providing economic analysis of free trade agreements and advising on trade barriers affecting U.S. exports. He holds a B.S. from Boston College and an M.B.A. from George Washington University.