The proposed India-United States bilateral trade agreement is nearing completion, with negotiators resolving most outstanding issues and only a small portion of the legal text left to finalize, according to U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor.
Speaking at the IX U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum Leadership Summit 2026, Gor said the two countries are in the final phase of negotiations after nearly 18 months of discussions, adding that the agreement is now “in the last one or two per cent.”
The ambassador said negotiations briefly stalled following a recent U.S. Supreme Court intervention but regained momentum after U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Lee Greer’s two-day visit to New Delhi last week.
Gor dismissed speculation about tensions between Washington and New Delhi, saying both governments remain committed to concluding a mutually beneficial agreement. He also emphasized that President Donald Trump continues to support strengthening economic ties with India.
Comparing the negotiations with other major trade agreements, Gor noted that the India-U.S. talks have moved considerably faster than the European Union’s trade negotiations with the United States, which took nearly two decades.
The ambassador’s remarks come days after India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said New Delhi would sign the agreement only after ensuring Indian exporters receive a competitive tariff advantage over rival countries. Goyal said both sides are very close to finalizing the deal but stressed that India would not compromise on its trade interests.
During his address, Gor also highlighted growing investment ties between the two countries, saying the U.S. Mission in India helped facilitate US$20.5 billion in new investments into the United States this year.
He said the New Delhi mission had outperformed many other U.S. embassies worldwide in attracting investment, underscoring the expanding economic partnership between India and the United States.
With negotiations now in their final stretch, officials on both sides have indicated they are working to resolve the remaining issues before announcing a formal agreement.
