Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Oct 16: A long-awaited trade agreement between India and the United States is almost complete, with only one or two per cent of negotiations remaining, a senior US official said on Friday, signalling progress towards a breakthrough after months of high-level discussions.
The official said the major issues had already been resolved and negotiations were continuing at the highest political levels, including between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The biggest items have been settled. I mean …, it's pretty much done. We have that one, one or two per cent left,” the official told reporters during a State Department briefing.
The remarks came ahead of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's scheduled visit to India, where he will hold discussions with Indian government officials and leading business executives in Mumbai and Jamnagar.
The official said the two governments remained in regular contact over the proposed agreement.
“We are actively engaged every single week,” the official said, adding that high-level discussions on the trade deal were taking place regularly.
The official cited recent diplomatic engagements involving US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and conversations between Trump and Modi as signs of momentum in the negotiations.
However, the official also pointed to a significant complication that had delayed the agreement. An earlier understanding had been linked to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), but the legal framework had to be reconsidered after the law was struck down, according to the official.
The development forced negotiators to revisit elements of the proposed agreement and led to several additional months of discussions.
Despite the complications, the official expressed optimism that the remaining differences could be resolved soon.
Rubio is scheduled to travel to Uzbekistan first for meetings with Central Asian leaders before proceeding to India. In Mumbai, he will meet his Indian government counterparts and senior executives from some of the country's largest companies.
The official said the decision to visit Mumbai instead of New Delhi reflected the US administration's growing emphasis on commercial diplomacy and Indian investment in the United States.
Rubio will also travel to Jamnagar during his visit.
According to the official, Washington is seeking closer engagement with India in information technology, pharmaceuticals, defence cooperation and other sectors.
Further visits by senior US Cabinet officials are also expected next year as both governments seek to expand bilateral engagement.