New York: The United States on Wednesday signaled that its long-discussed trade pact with India is nearing completion, with a senior State Department official saying the two sides are "90 per cent-plus there" and only a few final issues remain unresolved.
In unusually upbeat remarks that underscored Washington's strategic focus on India, the official said the agreement could "unleash another level" of bilateral relations, describing trade as the most persistent sticking point in the relationship for decades. "I would say stay tuned, which we keep saying, but we are - we are very close - it's like a 90-per cent-plus there and just those final things being worked out, so I hope you're going to see something very soon on that," the official said in response to a PTI question on when the deal might be signed.
"And that's really going to just unleash another level of US-India relations, something that hasn't really - we haven't been able to get there in decades when it comes to trade," the official added. "This has always been the most sticking point in the relationship. And so I think we're very close and it's going to be, I think, very, very exciting when we get there."
The comments come at a time when both governments have been trying to deepen cooperation across trade, technology, defense and regional security, even as tariff disputes and market-access concerns have repeatedly complicated economic ties. The official did not spell out the unresolved issues, but the tone suggested negotiators are now working through final technical and political hurdles rather than broad policy differences.
The remarks also came alongside a broader picture of intensifying diplomatic engagement between Washington and New Delhi. On Secretary of State Marco Rubio's expected visit to India in October, the official said the trip was part of the "continuous growth and attention to the US-India partnership." "There's a lot happening," the official said.
The official also pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expected visit to the United States for the G20 summit being hosted by the US in Florida in December, saying there could be "some big announcements" on that front. "There's just a lot happening in the relationship," the official said, suggesting that the trade deal may be only one element of a larger diplomatic reset.
The Quad, the strategic grouping that includes India, the US, Japan and Australia, was another focal point of the comments. The official said the foreign ministers of the four countries would meet for the third time this year, calling that "unprecedented." "They've never met this many times, and I think that just tells you the attention that we're giving, the importance of this diplomatic grouping, the importance that India also places on it, as well as Japan and Australia. And stay tuned as well," the official said.
The Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting is scheduled to be hosted in New Delhi in May, and the official said "some other exciting things" could emerge from that gathering later next month.
Beyond trade and the Quad, the official also highlighted the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, or IMEC, describing it as "absolutely a huge priority" for both the US and India. The corridor, announced as a major connectivity initiative, has faced setbacks amid conflict and instability in the Middle East.
"I think on the India side and on the US side, we're ready to go. But because of some of the challenges we've had over the years, starting from the beginning of the administration - the president came in and we were still dealing with Israel/Gaza. That certainly paused things," the official said. "And then obviously Iran and Operation Midnight Hammer, that paused things. And so every - it's really being held in the Middle East. So I think when things can stabilise, you're really going to see IMEC take off."
The US is already working on mapping routes for the project, especially shipping and trucking corridors, the official said, while noting that countries along the route, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE and Israel, still need to settle their respective roles.
Taken together, the remarks suggest Washington sees India not merely as a partner in isolated sectors, but as a central pillar in a wider economic and strategic architecture. If the trade deal is indeed finalized soon, it could mark one of the most consequential advances in US-India economic relations in years, potentially opening the door to deeper cooperation across supply chains, investment, infrastructure and regional connectivity.