- Jaishankar states India-US trade talks are nearing completion.
- Minister cautions challenges remain in the agreement’s final stage.
- Recent Jaishankar-Rubio meeting discussed energy, defense, nuclear cooperation.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has offered a measured update on the proposed India-US trade agreement, saying talks have reached their “last mile” while stopping short of calling the deal done.
Speaking at a session of the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, he said the message from New Delhi and Washington has been consistent. “What you’ve heard not just from Secretary Rubio, but from Minister Piyush Goyal, from others, from me, is that we are moving towards it,” he said.
Jaishankar: “Never Done Till It’s Done”
Jaishankar was careful not to raise expectations too far. “Well, look, it’s never done till it’s done,” he said, acknowledging that the closing stretch of any negotiation tends to bring its own difficulties.
“Often the last mile or the penultimate miles do pose their challenges. I think the [negotiating] teams are working through them now,” he said.
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India-US Trade Deal: Open Issues Undisclosed
Asked which specific issues remain open, the minister declined to elaborate, leaving the question to those at the table. “If you’re asking me to tell you what exactly those challenges are, I’m sorry I won’t. That’s for the negotiators to sort out,” he said.
The agreement has been under discussion for several years, and his remarks come amid heightened expectations around its conclusion, IANS reported.
Jaishankar-Rubio Talks: Energy, Defence, Nuclear
The comments follow a recent meeting between Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to the US State Department, the two discussed regional and global issues, including developments in West Asia.
Energy featured prominently in the department’s account of the talks. “The secretary reiterated that increased energy trade with the United States can play a transformative role in diversifying India’s supply chains while meeting its sizable consumer demand,” the department said. Rubio also welcomed progress in bilateral defence and civil nuclear cooperation and encouraged greater Indian purchases of US technologies and systems, it added.
Sergio Gor Calls India-US Talks “Productive”
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who attended the meeting, described the discussions as “productive”. He said they centred on deepening cooperation across defence, energy, emerging technologies and trade, as the two countries continue to build momentum in their partnership.
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Input By : IANS
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