NEW DELHI, March 7 (Reuters) - India should bring down

its high tariffs for the Unites States as Washington means to

pursue "something grand" in a bilateral trade deal between the

two countries, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told India

Today television on Friday.

India's tariffs, amongst the highest in the world, require a

rethinking of its "special relationship" with the U.S., Lutnick

said in an interview.

His remarks come weeks ahead of U.S. President Donald

Trump's planned reciprocal tariffs from early April on trading

partners, including India, which are worrying exporters across

sectors ranging from autos to agriculture.

"We would like to focus on bilateral conversation just

between India and the United States, bring down the tariff

levels that India has, that protects some of its areas," Lutnick

said.

For sensitive sectors like agriculture, which India has long

protected in the interest of its small farmers, Lutnick said a

deal can be crafted with certain quotas and limits, but India

must open up the sector.

After a meeting between Trump and Indian Prime Minister

Narendra Modi last month, the two countries agreed to resolve

tariff rows and work on the first segment of a deal by the fall

of 2025, aiming for bilateral trade worth $500 billion by 2030.

Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal was on a nearly week-long

trip to the U.S. and on Tuesday met Lutnick to

pursue trade talks.