Trump Says India-US Trade Deal Is ‘Pretty Close’

US President Donald Trump has said that India and the United States are “pretty close” to finalising a trade deal, indicating that the proposed agreement could differ significantly from previous trade pacts between the two countries.

Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump expressed confidence that both sides were moving towards an agreement.

“They want to make a deal. We're going to make a deal. Pretty close, yeah,” Trump said in response to a question about the ongoing trade negotiations.

“It’s going to be a much different kind of deal than we've done,” the US President added, without disclosing further details about the proposed agreement.

Marco Rubio’s India Visit Focuses on Bilateral Ties

Trump’s remarks came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited India for discussions on strengthening bilateral relations. The talks focused on key areas of cooperation, including trade, energy, technology, defence and people-to-people ties.

The visit comes amid ongoing efforts by New Delhi and Washington to deepen economic and strategic cooperation while addressing outstanding issues in their trade relationship.

Piyush Goyal Holds Talks with US Trade Representative

Earlier this month, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Milwaukee and Washington to discuss the finer details of the proposed trade agreement.

India and the United States had announced in February the finalisation of a framework for the first phase of their Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). However, changes in the US tariff landscape have prompted further negotiations on the proposed pact.

The latest remarks from Trump signal continued engagement between the two countries, although key details of the agreement, including its final terms and timeline, remain to be confirmed.

Both sides are continuing discussions to work towards a trade arrangement that could shape bilateral economic relations and trade flows in the coming years.