Trade Deal Talks Enter Final Stage, Jaishankar Cautions

Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has said that talks on a proposed India-US trade agreement have reached their final stage, while cautioning that the deal cannot be treated as complete until it is formally finalised.

Addressing a session at the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, Jaishankar referred to remarks made by Marco Rubio and Piyush Goyal, who had also suggested that the agreement was approaching its conclusion. “You have heard it from Rubio and from Minister Goyal and others. I too have said we are moving forward,” he noted. Yet he underlined the importance of prudence, saying a task is not done until it is actually done.

Jaishankar admitted that the last phase of negotiations usually brings its own set of challenges. He said the teams at the negotiating table were currently working to overcome such obstacles. Asked what remained to be agreed upon, he declined to specify, stating that the negotiators were responsible for handling those issues.

The remarks come as optimism grows over a trade arrangement that has been debated between the two countries for years. Many see the pact as a key step toward reinforcing economic ties between India and the United States. The minister’s comments featured prominently in the summit discussion and kept the spotlight on ongoing diplomatic and commercial engagement.

The statement also connects to a recent meeting between Jaishankar and Rubio, in which regional and international issues, including developments in West Asia, were discussed. During that exchange, Jaishankar reaffirmed that growing energy trade with the US could play a transformative role in diversifying India’s supply chains and meeting its large consumer needs. Rubio applauded progress in bilateral defence and civil nuclear cooperation and encouraged more purchases of American technology and systems.

US Ambassador Sergio Gor, who was present at the meeting, described the talks as productive. He said the discussions focused on deepening collaboration in defence, energy, emerging technologies and trade, and added that both countries are continuing to strengthen cooperation across various sectors.