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India and US have been negotiating the first phase of a bilateral trade agreement aimed at expanding market access, reducing tariff barriers and strengthening economic cooperation.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor (Image: AP/File)
United States Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Monday said the India-US bilateral trade agreement is in its final stages, with negotiators working through the last 1 or 2% of the legal text.
Speaking at the IX US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Leadership Summit 2026, Gor said the deal has been under discussion for around 18 months, was briefly delayed by a recent judicial intervention, and has since been pushed back toward completion through high-level diplomatic engagement. He also said President Donald Trump remains committed to a “win-win” alignment with New Delhi.
“That trade deal, we thought was done, until the Supreme Court decided to have it underway. And so we continue to pursue that, and we are very close…Most of this deal is complete. There’s a few items that are made for both sides, but it’s in the last 1-2% of that deal,” Gor said.
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Referring to the recent visit of US Trade Representative Jamieson Lee Greer to New Delhi, Gor said the trip helped keep the negotiations on track.
“Ambassador Greer visited us in New Delhi for 2 days, and we are hopefully in the final steps of this deal. Most of this deal is complete, and there are a few items that remain from both sides, but it is in the last 1-2%… I am determined to bring this to a close because this is beneficial to both sides,” he added.
He said the trade negotiations involve thousands of items and require extensive legal work, adding that Greer has the President’s full confidence.
“Ambassador Greer has the President’s full confidence, and so we are getting close to finalising that. But, these things are complex legal things, and this is not of one page. We have thousands of items between our two nations that we are working on. And so the fact that we’ve gone so far, that is a great sign for the relationship, and I am hopeful that we will be able to wrap this up sooner than later,” the envoy said.
Gor also said the US Mission in India has facilitated $20.5 billion in brand-new investments back into the United States this year, and contrasted that with the pace of trade negotiations with Europe.
“People ask me why this is taking so long? We’ve been at this trade deal for a year and a half. To put it into perspective, the European trade deal took 20 years. And so no matter what, as long as we beat the European deal, I think we’re in good shape,” the envoy said.
“The US wants to work hand in hand with India… Our embassy in New Delhi this year, we were very proud to announce that we brought in $20.5 billion in new investments,” he added.
‘Win-Win Situation For Both’: Sergio Gor On India-US Trade Deal
The ambassador also spoke about a recent two-hour meeting with President Trump in Washington before the weekend, saying the conversation covered India, trade and the broader strategic relationship.
“I have been with the President for 10 years, so a large part of the conversation was like two friends catching up… but I also told him about my visits to India… I also spoke to him about the growing trade relations. On both sides, we see businesses coming here and going there every week, and it is a win-win situation for both…”
Also Read: What’s Delaying The India-US Trade Deal? US Envoy Explains
He said Trump remains deeply interested in India and recalled the President’s memories of his earlier visit.
“He was captivated by what I had seen in India. He has very fond memories of India. His last visit was one of the most remarkable visits that he continues to talk about,” Gor noted. “He holds India in a very fond place… And so I look forward to at some point… having the president visit us back in India,” he added.
Gor said the future of the relationship lies in deep technology, defence and artificial intelligence, and that there is “unlimited potential” for cooperation.
“There is not a day that goes by that a new item pops up for the 2 countries (India and the US) to work together… Whether that’s AI, technology, defence, it’s unlimited potential… And I aim to harvest that and to bring the two sides together. And it comes down to that win-win situation,” he said.
He also said the United States trusts India and is looking to identify more opportunities for cooperation, while noting the steady flow of high-level visitors between the two countries.
India and the United States have been negotiating the first phase of a bilateral trade agreement aimed at expanding market access, reducing tariff barriers and strengthening economic cooperation. Both governments have described the proposed pact as a priority and are working to conclude an initial agreement before moving on to a broader trade framework.
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