India-U.S. Trade Deal Nearly Finalized, U.S. Ambassador Says
MUMBAI, India — The proposed India-U.S. trade agreement is “99 per cent there,” with only a few unresolved issues remaining, U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said Wednesday, expressing optimism that the two countries are close to finalizing a long-awaited interim trade deal.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the CITI India 2026 Conference in Mumbai, Gor said officials from both countries are actively engaged in discussions and are working to conclude an agreement he described as beneficial for both India and the United States.
“This morning, I met with the United States delegation visiting from Washington, D.C. Our Deputy Trade Negotiator, who was in Delhi for several days of discussions, is here with a large team,” Gor said.
“We are very optimistic about the agreement. We are 99 per cent there, and the remaining one per cent is being worked out,” he told reporters.
Gor said the U.S. delegation would return to Delhi on Wednesday to meet Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal as negotiations move into their final phase.
“The delegation is meeting officials from the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of External Affairs, and we will travel back to Delhi tomorrow morning to meet Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal,” he said.
Gor also pointed to the pace of the talks, saying negotiations on the proposed India-U.S. trade deal have been underway for about a year and a half. By comparison, he said the European Union’s trade agreement with India took nearly 19 years.
“Both the United States and India are like-minded partners and are committed to finalising the deal. We believe it will be a win-win outcome for both countries, and we are very excited about its prospects,” he said.
Earlier Wednesday, Gor posted an update on X, saying it was “always great” to meet Assistant United States Trade Representative Brendan Lynch, whose team is in India for continued discussions on the interim trade deal.
“Our efforts are guided by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi’s vision of enhancing trade and investment between our countries. Progress is being made!” Gor wrote. (Source: IANS)
