Mumbai: The proposed India-US trade agreement is “99 per cent there”, with only a few remaining issues left to be resolved, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Wednesday, expressing optimism that both countries are close to finalising the much-awaited interim trade deal.
Speaking to reporters on the sideline of the CITI India 2026 Conference here, Gor said officials from both sides are actively engaged in discussions and are committed to concluding the agreement, which he described as a “win-win” outcome for 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,” he said.
“We are very optimistic about the agreement. We are 99 per cent there, and the remaining one per cent is being worked out,” Gor told reporters.
He added that the delegation would return to Delhi on Wednesday to meet Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal as negotiations enter the 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 mentioned.
Gor also highlighted the pace at which the discussions have progressed, saying negotiations on the proposed India-US trade deal have been underway for around one-and-a-half years, compared to nearly 19 years taken for the European Union’s trade agreement with India.
“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 in the day, Gor also shared an update on social media platform X, saying it was “always great” to meet Assistant United States Trade Representative Brendan Lynch, whose team is currently in India to continue 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 in his post.
(IANS)
