New Delhi: The long awaited trade agreement between India and the United States has entered its final phase, with only a small portion of negotiations remaining before the deal is formally concluded.
Speaking at a leadership summit focused on strengthening economic and strategic ties between the two countries, the US envoy expressed confidence that the agreement was now in its closing stages, with the overwhelming majority of issues already resolved. A handful of outstanding matters remain under discussion on both sides, but officials are optimistic that these will be settled soon.
Negotiations for the pact have continued for nearly 18 months, reflecting the complexity and scale of trade relations between two of the world’s largest economies. Despite questions over the duration of the talks, the envoy pointed out that the two nations have shared a trading relationship spanning more than two decades, making the time invested in securing a comprehensive agreement worthwhile.
The proposed deal is expected to deliver economic benefits to both countries by improving market access, boosting investment opportunities and strengthening commercial cooperation across multiple sectors.
The envoy also highlighted the strong momentum in bilateral relations, noting that high level political engagement and close leadership ties have played an important role in advancing cooperation between New Delhi and Washington.
He further recalled the positive impression left by the US President’s previous visit to India, describing it as one of the most memorable international visits and expressing hope for another visit in the future.
In addition to trade developments, he confirmed that foreign ministers from the Quad grouping are expected to meet in the Philippines within the next two weeks, signalling continued cooperation on regional and strategic issues.
