NEW DELHI — In a major announcement for global commerce, the United States Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, confirmed that the long-awaited US-India trade agreement has entered its final stretch.
Speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Leadership Summit, Ambassador Gor revealed that after nearly 18 months of rigorous negotiations, the comprehensive trade pact is on the verge of completion, with only the “last 1 per cent” of terms left to be finalized.
Finalizing the Strategic Economic Pact
The bilateral trade talks have been underway for a year and a half, aiming to restructure the economic relationship between the two democratic powerhouses. Ambassador Gor emphasized that the remaining hurdles are minor, with just a few outstanding items left on both sides.
“We are in the final steps on this deal. Most of this deal is complete. There’s a few items that remain on both sides. It’s in the last 1 per cent of that deal.” — Sergio Gor, US Ambassador to India
Addressing questions regarding the timeline of the talks, the US envoy put the 18-month negotiation period into perspective by noting that the two nations have been trading under old frameworks for over 20 years. He expressed strong determination to bring the pact to a swift close, noting that its finalization would beat the timeline of similar European trade agreements.
Head-of-State Synergy and Upcoming Quad Summit
Ambassador Gor highlighted the personal rapport between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the driving engine behind the rapid progression of bilateral ties.
The envoy noted that the US President still frequently talks about his past visits to India with fondness, adding that he looks forward to facilitating a return presidential visit to India in the near future.
Beyond bilateral trade, the Ambassador also shared a key diplomatic update regarding regional security alignment in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad foreign ministers (representing the US, India, Japan, and Australia) are scheduled to convene a high-level summit in the Philippines in approximately two weeks to discuss regional maritime security, supply chain resilience, and technology partnerships.
