Negotiations on a long-pending United States–India trade agreement have slowed after New Delhi insisted on safeguards for its agriculture and dairy sectors, according to people familiar with the talks. Indian officials also want explicit protections for so-called core interests before signing any accord. Washington, for its part, is resisting India’s request for relief from existing U.S. duties on Indian steel and is limiting the scope of the deal to tariff reductions on goods trade. The delay comes as the U.S. is weighing a separate proposal to impose a 10% import duty on products from other BRICS members, the sources said. India has likewise ruled out lowering its high tariffs on imported automobiles until the government completes its Production-Linked Incentive program aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing. The stance on autos, combined with the stalemate over agriculture, dairy and steel, has left negotiators without a clear timeline for concluding the pact.