‘Big items are done’: Envoy Gor hints major boost in India-US trade negotiations

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Thursday that negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement were progressing at an “incredible pace”, adding that the “big items are done”. Speaking at an interactive session at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, Gor echoed external affairs minister S Jaishankar’s assessment of the negotiations, saying the two sides were “very close to landing it”.

Asked about the status of the talks, Gor said he did not want to disclose too many details at this stage, leaving it to the ministers to make announcements. However, he maintained that the major issues had been resolved. “We're actively engaged... within three weeks of arriving here, we announced a trade deal. The European Union trade deal took almost 20 years. So we're at an incredible pace, and I am confident that we will get it done,” Gor said.

Gor noted that India and the US had been negotiating for a year and a half, describing the pace of progress as “almost an unheard-of pace”. Notably, the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was concluded in January after nearly 20 years of negotiations. India has maintained that both sides remain engaged in negotiations to secure a mutually beneficial trade agreement.

At an earlier session at the Forum, Jaishankar said the countries were working through their differences and that the negotiations were approaching a “landing point”. He added that the core fundamentals of the bilateral strategic partnership remained unchanged. “We are getting there. I am confident that we will have a trade deal here, as you heard Dr Jaishankar say right on this stage, and we are very close to landing it,” Gor said.

Gor was also asked about the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 and whether India could receive sanctions relief or exemptions under the legislation. “That is a decision for the president,” Gor said, adding that the legislation grants the US president the authority to make that decision. According to Gor, the US president Donald Trump had not imposed sanctions on any country under the legislation so far. He said the bill had been passed recently and that the President would have to make a determination “within the next 10 days or so”. Gor added that he expected an announcement from the White House soon. On September 18, Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law. The legislation authorises him to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas, including India and China.