New Delhi: The India-US trade agreement has entered its final phase, with just “1%” of the negotiations left to be completed, according to US Ambassador Sergio Gor. The remarks come ahead of a crucial round of talks scheduled in New Delhi next week, raising expectations that the long-awaited trade pact could be signed in the coming weeks.
Speaking at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi on Friday, Gor said an Indian negotiating team had recently travelled to Washington to resolve the remaining issues in the agreement and that a US delegation would arrive in India next week to continue discussions.
“Our current interim trade agreement is on the table for us to finalise and that will unlock prosperity for both of our countries,” Gor said.
“India had sent a team to Washington DC to finalise the last 1% of that trade deal. Next week, we will welcome a US delegation here to continue those talks,” he added.
US team to visit India from June 1 to 4
The comments come as a US team led by America’s chief trade negotiator is set to visit India from June 1 to 4 for another round of discussions. The visit follows negotiations held in Washington in April as both sides work towards concluding an interim bilateral trade agreement.
While Gor did not elaborate on the unresolved issues, officials have indicated that discussions continue on matters such as market access, non-tariff barriers, customs facilitation and broader economic security cooperation. India is also expected to remain cautious on issues affecting domestic producers and farmers.
Bilateral trade in goods and services expands
According to Gor, bilateral trade in goods and services has expanded from about $20 billion to more than $220 billion over the past two decades, reflecting stronger economic integration between the two countries. The ambassador expressed confidence that the agreement would be finalised soon, saying Washington expects the deal to be signed after the remaining negotiations are completed.
Beyond trade, Gor shed light on growing cooperation in strategic sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, quantum computing and critical minerals.
He described India and the United States as well-positioned to shape the future of emerging technologies through deeper collaboration.
