U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor said the trade agreement between India and the United States is in its final stages of negotiation.
The deal represents a significant effort to strengthen economic cooperation and bilateral trade between the two nations. Finalizing the pact could reduce trade barriers and streamline commercial interactions across multiple sectors.
Gor said that the agreement is roughly 99% complete [3]. He said that the remaining work involves a small portion of the legal text, estimated between 1% [4] and 2% [1], that still needs to be worked out.
"We are 99% there," Gor said [3].
Beyond the trade pact, the ambassador addressed concerns regarding U.S. visa policies. He said that changes to the H-1B visa program are not intended to target India [4].
"H-1B changes are not targeting India," Gor said [4].
The negotiations come as both countries seek to deepen their strategic partnership. Gor said that only one or two percent of the legal text is left to be worked out [2].
“"We are 99% there."”
The near-completion of this trade deal suggests a high level of alignment between Washington and New Delhi on economic priorities. By clarifying that H-1B visa adjustments are not India-specific, the U.S. is attempting to decouple labor policy from the broader trade negotiations to ensure the agreement reaches a final signature without political friction.
