June 1, 2026
NEW DELHI – The United States has signalled fresh firmness in closing its proposed trade agreement with India, with the US State Department saying trade remains a top priority for President Donald Trump and further meetings between the two countries are expected soon as both sides work to finalise the deal.
The remarks come at a time when India and the United States are moving towards a crucial interim trade agreement, with officials from both countries now engaged in intensive negotiations to settle the remaining issues.
US State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the Trump administration views stronger and more balanced trade ties with India as central to deepening the broader bilateral relationship. “President Trump has made no secret that trade is a priority for the United States,” Pigott said, adding that balanced economic ties would help both countries unlock the “full economic potential” of the partnership.
Pigott also indicated that more discussions between officials are expected soon, saying Washington is looking forward to additional meetings involving the US Trade Representatives (USTR) in the immediate future as negotiations continue.
The statement reflects growing momentum around the proposed agreement, which both governments have been attempting to conclude after months of negotiations covering market access, tariffs and broader commercial cooperation.
India-US deal enters decisive phase
The latest comments come amid indications that the proposed agreement has entered its concluding phase.
Recently, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said negotiations are now focused on resolving the “last 1 per cent” of the pending trade issues, suggesting that only a limited number of sticking points remain before the agreement can be signed.
Speaking at the US-India TRUST Initiative event at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Gor revealed that an Indian delegation had recently travelled to Washington DC for high-level discussions aimed at finalising the remaining provisions of the deal.
He also confirmed that a US delegation is expected to arrive in India next week to continue the negotiations.
“We fully expect that the trade deal will be signed over the next few weeks and months,” Gor said.
Strategic partnership beyond trade
Apart from the economic dimension, Washington also linked the trade discussions to the broader strategic partnership between the two countries.
Tommy Pigott praised Sergio Gor’s diplomatic outreach in India and called his engagement with Indian officials a reflection of the importance Washington attaches to ties with New Delhi.
Pigott said the United States remains encouraged by the ongoing cooperation and dialogue with India across multiple sectors and reiterated Washington’s commitment to strengthening the strategic relationship.
Sergio Gor also underlined India’s rising geopolitical importance, terming the country as an increasingly critical partner for the United States not only economically but strategically.
Bilateral trade expands sharply
Highlighting the scale of economic growth between the two nations, Sergio Gor noted that bilateral trade in goods and services has expanded dramatically over the past two decades, rising from nearly USD 20 billion to more than USD 220 billion.
The growing trade volume has increasingly pushed both governments towards building a more structured and long-term economic framework aimed at reducing trade friction and improving investment flows.
Fresh round of talks next week
The latest developments follow confirmation from India’s Commerce Ministry that a high-level US trade delegation will visit India from June 1 to 4 for another round of negotiations on the pending agreement.
Officials are expected to focus on ironing out the remaining clauses as both sides attempt to close the deal within the timeline indicated by American officials.