Arya News - Ambassador Sergio Gor attributed the delay in wrapping up the deal primarily to the complexity of the legal and technical language involved in finalising the agreement.
NEW DELHI – The proposed trade agreement between India and the United States is close to being finalised in principle, with negotiators now focused on resolving the remaining legal and technical details, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said.
Speaking at a media interaction in New Delhi, Gor indicated that the two countries had broadly agreed on the key elements of the pact. The remaining task, he said, involves refining and restructuring portions of the agreement’s text before it can be formally concluded.
Gor attributed the delay in wrapping up the deal primarily to the complexity of the legal and technical language involved in finalising the agreement.
The ambassador also commented on a US Congressional proposal that could impose tariffs of as much as 100% on countries importing Russian oil. He stressed that lawmakers across party lines were advancing the proposal, and it was not an initiative pushed by the White House. He noted that President Donald Trump has not publicly advocated the measure.
The proposed legislation could have implications for India given its purchases of Russian crude. Gor, however, said Trump’s broader priority remained ending the Russia-Ukraine war, describing the resolution of the conflict as a critical objective for the US President.
He further underlined the importance of the relationship between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in strengthening bilateral ties.
Describing the relationship as a close and personal one, the ambassador said both leaders favour a fast-moving, results-oriented approach to bilateral issues. He added that Trump has considerable respect for Modi.
Gor also recalled Modi’s support for Trump during the period after the 2020 US presidential election, when Trump was no longer in the White House. According to the ambassador, that support helped deepen the trust between the two leaders.
He said the personal rapport between Trump and Modi has contributed to stronger India-US relations and could help both sides move quickly on areas of mutual interest.