India and the U.S. are close to achieving a trade accord, though yet to sign an agreement, based on Wednesday statements from the country's senior U.S. trade negotiator.
Talks regarding a possible U.S.-India trade agreement have attracted considerable attention in both U.S. media and policy communities, with many speculating that it might be the first trade agreement to be announced ahead of President Donald Trump's 90-day halt on the implementation of broad tariffs on most of America's trading partners.
"I wouldn't say we're at the finish line, but we're close," stated Jamieson Greer, U.S. Trade Representative, during an interview with Fox News when questioned if the India deal was almost complete.
He continued, "I have a standing call with India's Trade Minister. I sent my team to India for a week, and they were here last week. I also met with their chief negotiator."
While referring to U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance's recent India visit, Greer cited the joint declaration of the two countries announcing a framework to navigate negotiations that are continuing on trade.
Greer, a veteran at the U.S. Trade Representative's office, had earlier been Chief of Staff to Robert Lighthizer, the U.S. Trade Representative in President Trump's first term. Under his tenure, the U.S. and India were close to reaching a trade agreement.
The deal was supposed to be inked during President Trump's trip to India in February 2020, but it eventually collapsed after months of tough and protracted negotiations. Indian negotiators at the time blamed the U.S., accusing them of "moving the goalposts" during the negotiations.
Greer, on the other hand, sounded more positive about talks with South Korea as calling their bids "very forward leaning" and referring to U.S. policy as centered around the most aggressive bids in contention
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