India-US trade deal 99% done, final issues being resolved: Sergio Gor
Synopsis
The India-US interim trade deal is '99% there', US Ambassador Sergio Gor said in Mumbai, with a senior US delegation flying to Delhi to meet Piyush Goyal. Striking detail: talks have closed in 1.5 years against the 19 years India's pact with the EU has dragged on — a pace that signals real political will on both sides under Trump and Modi.
Key Takeaways
US Ambassador Sergio Gor said the India-US trade deal is '99 per cent' finalised, with the remaining issues being worked out.
The remarks were made on 3 June at the CITI India 2026 Conference in Mumbai .
A US delegation led by Deputy Trade Negotiator and Assistant USTR Brendan Lynch was set to meet Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Delhi .
India-US negotiations have run for around 1.5 years , compared to nearly 19 years for the EU-India deal.
Gor framed the talks as guided by President Trump and PM Modi's vision of expanded trade and investment.
The proposed India-US interim trade agreement is '99 per cent there', with only a sliver of pending issues left to iron out, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on 3 June in Mumbai, signalling that both sides are within touching distance of sealing the long-awaited pact. The remarks came on the sidelines of the CITI India 2026 Conference, as a senior US trade delegation continues parallel talks in Delhi.
What the US envoy said
‘We are very optimistic about the agreement. We are 99 per cent there, and the remaining one per cent is being worked out,' Gor told reporters. He described the prospective deal as a ‘win-win' for both economies and confirmed that officials from the two sides are in active, sustained engagement.
Gor said he met the visiting US delegation in Mumbai earlier in the day. ‘This morning, I met with the United States delegation visiting from Washington, D.C. Our Deputy Trade Negotiator, who was in Delhi for several days of discussions, is here with a large team,' he said.
Next steps in Delhi
The delegation was scheduled to travel back to Delhi on Wednesday morning to meet Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal as negotiations enter their final stretch. ‘The delegation is meeting officials from the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of External Affairs, and we will travel back to Delhi tomorrow morning to meet Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal,' Gor said.
Pace of negotiations
Gor flagged the unusually quick tempo of the India-US talks, noting that negotiations have run for roughly one-and-a-half years, against nearly 19 years taken for the European Union's still-pending trade agreement with India. ‘Both the United States and India are like-minded partners and are committed to finalising the deal,' he added.
Trump-Modi framing
Earlier in the day, Gor posted on social media platform X after meeting Assistant United States Trade Representative Brendan Lynch, whose team is in India for the latest round. ‘Our efforts are guided by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi's vision of enhancing trade and investment between our countries. Progress is being made!' Gor wrote.
Why it matters
An interim India-US trade pact would mark the most significant bilateral commercial breakthrough between the two countries in over a decade, with potential implications for tariffs, market access for Indian exporters, and US farm and industrial goods entering India. With Washington pushing reciprocal tariff frameworks globally, a finalised deal could insulate Indian exporters from sharper duty shocks while opening fresh investment channels.
The next round of ministerial-level engagement in Delhi is expected to clarify whether the residual ‘one per cent' can be closed in the coming weeks.
Point of View
Typically around agriculture, digital trade, and tariff lines on autos and steel. That said, closing an India-US deal in 18 months versus the EU's 19-year slog is a genuine signal of political alignment under Trump and Modi. The real test is whether New Delhi secures durable carve-outs from US reciprocal tariffs, or whether this turns into a narrow, optics-driven interim pact that gets reopened the moment Washington's trade priorities shift.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did US Ambassador Sergio Gor say about the India-US trade deal?
Sergio Gor said the proposed India-US interim trade agreement is '99 per cent there', with only a few remaining issues left to be resolved. He made the remarks in Mumbai on 3 June on the sidelines of the CITI India 2026 Conference.
When will the India-US trade deal be finalised?
No firm date has been announced, but Gor said the remaining one per cent of issues is actively being worked out. A US delegation including Assistant USTR Brendan Lynch was set to meet Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Delhi to push the talks into their final phase.
How long have India and the US been negotiating this trade deal?
Negotiations have been underway for around one-and-a-half years, according to Sergio Gor. He contrasted this pace with the European Union's trade talks with India, which have stretched nearly 19 years.
Who is leading the US trade delegation in India?
The delegation includes the US Deputy Trade Negotiator and Assistant United States Trade Representative Brendan Lynch. They have been holding discussions in Delhi and Mumbai with officials from India's Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of External Affairs.
Why does the India-US trade deal matter?
An interim pact would be the most significant bilateral commercial agreement between the two countries in over a decade, with implications for tariffs, export access, and bilateral investment flows. It could also cushion Indian exporters from broader US reciprocal tariff moves.
