India-US Trade Deal in Final Stretch, Only ‘Last 1-2 Per Cent’ Left to Resolve: US Envoy Sergio Gor

Washington, June 2026 : The proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement is in its final stages, with only the “last one or two per cent” of the negotiations remaining, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said, expressing confidence that the landmark pact would soon be concluded after nearly 18 months of intensive discussions.

Speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) Leadership Summit in Washington, Gor said negotiators from both countries had significantly accelerated engagement over the past few weeks to resolve the remaining issues and bring the long-awaited agreement to fruition.

The ambassador said that while most aspects of the proposed trade pact had already been finalised, negotiators were working through a handful of outstanding issues on both sides.

“Just last week, US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer visited us in Delhi for two days, and we are hopefully in the final steps of this deal. Most of this deal is complete. There are a few items that remain from both sides, but it’s in the last one or two per cent of that deal,” Gor said.

He acknowledged that many had questioned the pace of negotiations but stressed that trade agreements of such magnitude and complexity typically require years to conclude.

“People ask why this has taken so long. We’ve been working on the trade deal for about a year and a half. To put it into perspective, the European trade deal took 20 years. So, as long as we beat the European deal, I think we’re in good shape,” he remarked.

Gor said he was determined to see the negotiations through because the agreement represented a mutually beneficial opportunity rather than a victory for one side over the other.

“I’m determined to bring this to a close because this is a deal that is beneficial to both sides. This is not one side or the other. This is a win-win situation where both countries can do incredible things and take this relationship to the next level,” he said.

According to the ambassador, the agreement would also provide much-needed certainty and stability for businesses engaged in bilateral trade and investment.

“It’s also a deal that frankly brings stability for many individuals and businesses. For those of you engaged in bilateral trade, it is something that is incredibly useful and helpful,” he said.

Highlighting the recent momentum in negotiations, Gor pointed to a series of high-level exchanges between senior trade officials from both countries over the past three weeks.

“As I mentioned, we’re close to getting it done through very active negotiations. Pretty much over the last three weeks we’ve had officials travelling back and forth. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal was in New York, followed shortly thereafter by Ambassador Greer visiting Delhi,” he said.

The ambassador noted that India-US economic ties had expanded dramatically over the past two decades, with bilateral trade growing more than tenfold.

“Over the past two decades, our bilateral trade has increased from about $20 billion to nearly $220 billion. That’s an incredible achievement, and it’s something we’re going to take to a much higher level,” Gor said.

He reiterated the ambitious objective jointly announced by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expand bilateral trade to $500 billion in the coming years.

“What President Trump and Prime Minister Modi announced as a bilateral trade goal of $500 billion over the next few years is an astounding target that is unmatched. We are fully prepared to work towards achieving it,” he said.

Gor also highlighted India’s growing importance as a trading partner for the United States, noting that the US remained India’s largest export destination.

“We are ready to do so much more with India. India exports more to the United States than to any other country by a significant margin, and that relationship continues to grow,” he added.

The ambassador dismissed speculation suggesting that the India-US relationship had weakened in recent months, arguing that the partnership remained robust across multiple sectors.

“So to all those pundits who sit online and say this relationship is in trouble, when you actually look at the facts—whether it’s trade, defence, technology, investment or people-to-people ties—the relationship is on very strong footing,” Gor said.

He further emphasised that President Trump attached considerable strategic importance to ties with India and remained committed to deepening cooperation across trade, technology, defence, energy, investment and other critical sectors.

The proposed bilateral trade agreement represents one of the most significant economic initiatives between the two countries in recent years. The first phase of the agreement is expected to improve market access, reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, facilitate smoother trade flows, and create a more predictable business environment for companies operating in both markets.

Negotiations gained fresh momentum following discussions between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi, during which both leaders agreed on a roadmap to significantly expand bilateral commerce and work towards the ambitious $500-billion trade target.

Beyond trade, the agreement is viewed as a key pillar of the broader India-US strategic partnership, which has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years.

The two countries have substantially strengthened cooperation in defence, critical and emerging technologies, semiconductor manufacturing, clean energy, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, space collaboration and resilient global supply chains.

Both New Delhi and Washington have consistently described their partnership as one of the defining strategic relationships of the 21st century, driven by shared democratic values, converging geopolitical interests and expanding economic engagement.

If concluded in the coming weeks as anticipated, the trade agreement is expected to provide a major boost to bilateral commerce, enhance investor confidence, generate new business opportunities, and further cement the rapidly evolving strategic and economic partnership between India and the United States.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)