Negotiations on the proposed India-US trade agreement, which began in March, are progressing in a positive atmosphere, commerce minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday, adding that both sides are satisfied with the pace of talks.
Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to India, Segio Gor, also noted that Washington and New Delhi are “not that far apart” on tariffs.
“We’re not that far apart on a deal on these tariffs,” he said at his Senate confirmation hearing. “I do think it will get resolved in the next few weeks,” Gor said.
Goyal told reporters in Patna that in February this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump had instructed the trade ministers of both the countries to conclude the first phase of the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by fall (November) of 2025.
“Discussions have been going on in a positive atmosphere with seriousness since March. It is progressing, and both countries are satisfied with the progress,” Goyal told reporters here.
On Wednesday, the minister also stated that India is in ‘active dialogue’ with the United States for a trade agreement.
These remarks follow the announcement by Trump that there will be “no difficulty” for the two countries to come to a successful conclusion in trade talks.