US-India trade deal nearing completion, says Sergio Gor

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Tuesday that the proposed US-India trade agreement is in its final stages, with only the last one per cent of negotiations remaining after nearly 18 months of discussions.

Speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Leadership Summit, Gor expressed confidence that the agreement would soon be concluded and said it would benefit both countries.

“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,” he said.

Gor said the long duration of the talks should be viewed in the context of the broader economic relationship between the two countries.

“People ask, why is this taking so long? We’ve been at this for a year and a half. To put it into perspective, we’ve been trading for 20 years. So no matter what, once we beat the European deal, I think we’re in good shape. But I’m determined to bring this to a close,” he said.

The ambassador also highlighted the close relationship between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it continued to strengthen bilateral ties.

He said Trump still spoke warmly about his previous visit to India.

“His visit last time, it was one of his most remarkable visits that he continues to talk about. He holds it in a very fond place. It’s an incredible thing. So I look forward to … having the President visit us back in India,” Gor said.

He further announced that the Quad foreign ministers are expected to meet in the Philippines in about two weeks.

At the same summit, India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, said emerging technologies would define the next phase of India-US cooperation, identifying biotechnology, artificial intelligence and semiconductors as priority areas.

Kwatra said India had positioned itself as a preferred destination for companies seeking to diversify manufacturing and supply chains beyond traditional hubs.

He noted that the country had increased investments in strategic sectors including semiconductors, electronics, artificial intelligence, clean energy and defence manufacturing, strengthening its place in global value chains.

According to Kwatra, India, currently a USD 4.3 trillion economy, is on track to become a USD seven trillion economy by the end of the decade, around USD 14 trillion by the middle of the 2030s, and between USD 25 trillion and USD 30 trillion by 2047.

He described India as an “indispensable anchor” of global economic growth and stability amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions.

Kwatra said India’s economic transformation had placed it at the centre of the changing global order, making it a trusted growth engine and strategic partner for advanced and emerging economies alike.

“What that has meant domestically for us in India under the leadership of Prime Minister since 2014, has been a series of economically transformative measures on the ground, which have resulted in our consistently high growth of seven plus per cent, which is uniquely driven by domestic demand,” he said.

He added that India’s economic rise was increasingly linked to global prosperity, underscoring the importance of stronger international partnerships.

Referring to the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Kwatra said the initiative was intended to create globally competitive manufacturing capabilities and resilient supply chains rather than promote isolation.

“The prime minister has propounded… a mixture of self-reliance and self-sufficiency, but an ecosystem which has positive externalities, which is not insular in nature,” Kwatra said.