India-US trade pact close to completion, says US envoy Gor

Negotiations between India and the United States for a bilateral trade deal are progressing at an "incredible pace", with "big items" already settled, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Thursday. Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, Gor expressed confidence that both countries would successfully conclude the pact, echoing earlier assessments from External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar that the two sides are "very close to landing it".

Gor highlighted the speed of progress in the negotiations, noting that within three weeks of his arrival in New Delhi, the two nations had announced a trade deal framework. He contrasted this with the lengthy timeframe of other major trade agreements, pointing out that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement took nearly two decades to conclude.

"We're actively engaged and moving at an incredible pace. I'm confident that we will get it done," Gor said, while declining to elaborate on specific details of the negotiations at this stage. He indicated that formal announcements regarding the agreement's progress would come from the trade ministers of both countries.

The bilateral trade deal is seen as a significant step in deepening economic ties between New Delhi and Washington, as both nations seek to strengthen their strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific region.