India-US trade deal talks near end, but no immediate agreement: USTR
New Delhi, Oct 2 (UNI) The India-US trade negotiations have entered the final stretch. Still, a deal is not expected immediately as both sides continue to work through a limited number of unresolved issues, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said.
Speaking after the G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting in Milwaukee, Greer said negotiators had narrowed down the areas of disagreement and were working towards resolving the remaining sticking points. He described the talks as being close to the end, while cautioning against expectations of an imminent agreement. Greer also indicated that US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi could speak again soon to take stock of the negotiations and assess the progress made by their teams.
The latest comments come days after Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal described the proposed trade agreement as being "almost done and dusted". Goyal had also stressed that India was seeking a competitive tariff position compared with other exporting nations before the agreement could be finalised. Greer and Goyal met on the sidelines of the G20 trade ministers' gathering in Milwaukee, with discussions focused on moving towards an early conclusion of an interim trade agreement under the broader India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement framework.
Greer described his discussion with Goyal as constructive and said officials from both countries were continuing negotiations. Goyal, meanwhile, termed the meeting productive and said the discussions were aimed at reaching a mutually beneficial interim agreement. The Commerce Ministry said Goyal also held bilateral meetings with trade counterparts from other countries during his visit to Milwaukee for the two-day G20 ministerial meeting.
The latest developments follow a phone conversation between Modi and Trump on September 30, during which the two leaders reviewed a range of bilateral issues, including trade, defence, energy and critical technologies. According to the Prime Minister's Office, the leaders agreed to remain in close contact and continue efforts to strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. Greer said the conversation between the two leaders had been constructive. Another Modi-Trump call could provide a fresh political-level review of the progress made by negotiators as the two countries work through the remaining differences.
The negotiations have been underway through multiple rounds of engagement between officials and ministers, with tariffs and market access among the key issues being discussed. The two sides are now seeking to bridge the remaining gaps before announcing an interim arrangement, even as Washington and New Delhi continue negotiations on the wider bilateral trade agreement.
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