US Ambassador to India: Key Issues in India-US Trade Deal Largely Settled
nashnova research
US Ambassador Sergio Gor says the big-picture framework of an India-US trade deal is largely complete and a final landing is "very close" — but a Russian-oil tariff clause remains unresolved and could decide whether the deal closes.
Where do the negotiations stand?
Gor told the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi that the deal's "big framework, big topics" are largely done and the two sides are very close to a final "landing."
New issues have emerged during talks — including shifts in the tech space — but he called that normal in a long negotiation.
This means → The core terms have consensus. What remains is tying up loose ends, not starting over.
Why does the shift in tone matter?
India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said this week that both sides are "moving toward a landing point" — language closely echoing Gor's.
Weeks earlier, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman described talks as hitting a "plateau," and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the deal was in its "final stages" but not "imminent."
This means → Officials on both sides have pivoted from managing expectations down to signaling optimism — a notable change in negotiating atmosphere.
Where is the Russian-oil tariff stuck?
New US legislation authorizes President Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on buyers of Russian oil and gas. India, a major Russian-oil buyer, is directly affected.
Gor said the two countries are consulting on the issue and Trump will decide "within the coming days."
He stressed the measure is not aimed specifically at India but is designed to pressure Russia and push toward an end to the war in Ukraine.
What does this mean for the deal's prospects?
The main framework is near completion, but the Russian-oil tariff clause remains the single largest uncertainty.
In plain terms = The building is topped out, but one critical door is still missing — which way that door swings determines whether the whole structure can be handed over.
This reflects a negotiation that has entered a political-decision phase: the technical work is largely done, and what remains hinges on political will at the top.
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