The US and India are close to sealing a trade deal, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, as the two sides work to wrap up months of negotiations. Speaking to reporters in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, during a diplomatic tour of Central Asia, Rubio stated that Washington and New Delhi are actively working to resolve the remaining issues in the proposed agreement. “We’re trying to finalise a trade deal with India right now. We’re very close to doing that,” Rubio remarked.
His comments came ahead of a scheduled meeting with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Mumbai, where both leaders are expected to discuss trade alongside a broader range of bilateral and strategic issues.
Discussions also touched upon the complexities of global energy sourcing, with Rubio addressing the challenges Washington faces in balancing sanctions policy with global energy supplies and prices, specifically regarding India’s purchases of Russian oil. “We’ve had to waive sanctions over the past few months because of the impact on global supplies and prices,” he noted, adding that geographical realities are an important consideration when countries seek alternative energy sources.
Washington and New Delhi continue to navigate these strategic energy and economic hurdles as they move closer to finalizing the trade partnership.