-1792514271458_m.webp)
India-US Trade Deal: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has shared a major update on the India-US trade deal, saying the agreement is nearing completion and is “incredibly close”. He added that it could be finalised within weeks rather than months. Speaking to News18, Rubio said both countries were working to resolve a few remaining technical details before announcing the agreement. His remarks come during his three-day visit to India, which also includes a visit to Jamnagar in Gujarat.
India-US Trade Deal Nears Final Stage
Speaking about the progress of the trade deal, Rubio said he was not personally involved in the negotiations, as the discussions were being handled by the US Trade Representative. However, he said he had been closely following the process and expected the agreement to be finalised soon.
“I’m not personally negotiating it. It’s done through our trade representative, but I know and I’ve been very involved in watching it happen that it is something we anticipate seeing in a matter of weeks, not months,” Rubio said. He added that the agreement was close to completion, but both sides needed to settle all the remaining details before making it public.
“I felt that way before, and with these deals, it’s always important that it would be totally agreed to, every detail of it, before it’s announced because you can’t afford for a relationship of this magnitude to be threatened by announcing a deal and it turning out the deal wasn’t finalised. But it’s incredibly close. I think we are down to some technical details that need to be worked out. Technical details matter because there has to be an agreement, both sides have to agree that the language means the same thing. So, it’s down to that level,” he said.
Most Terms Of Deal Good For India, Says Rubio
When asked about the tariff rates that India could face compared with other countries, Rubio indicated that most of the terms under discussion were expected to be favourable to India. “The preponderance of it is good for you. And that’s what we aim to achieve here, and I can’t wait till we do it because we have so many things we can work together on,” Rubio said.
Rubio On India Visit
Rubio also spoke about the importance of understanding India beyond its major political centres. He described Mumbai as a major centre for India's financial and business activities. “Mumbai, in particular, is the financial heart and soul the country. It’s where so many of the companies that are investing in and with the United States, and who we want to do more trade with, are located. It’s the financial life blood of the country. So, it’s logical to come here, and obviously I look forward to coming back and seeing the country again,” Rubio said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Rubio met External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and also visited the iconic Gateway of India alongside Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and US Ambassador Sergio Gor.