US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday said there was nothing “imminent” on the India-US trade deal, even as he indicated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump could speak again soon to review progress.
“We are continually trying to finish the trade deal with India. I would characterise it, as we say in the US, we're in the short strokes. So, I think we're toward the end of it,” Greer told reporters after the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Milwaukee.
Greer said the two sides had identified the “universe of items” that remained sticking points and were working to resolve them.
“At the same time, there's no – I don't think there's something imminent – but we truly have identified the universe of items that are sticking points. We're working diligently toward them,” he said.
Greer met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on the sidelines of the G20 meeting on Wednesday and described their discussions as “very constructive”.
“Our staff is meeting right now since they're in the country, and we're here,” he said, referring to ongoing negotiations.
Greer also said Modi and Trump had a “very constructive” phone call on Wednesday morning and could speak again “very soon” to assess the progress of the negotiations.
“My sense is that the president and the prime minister may have another call very soon on this, just to assess progress and where we are,” he said.
Modi and Trump on Wednesday reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation across trade, defence, energy, critical technologies and other areas of mutual interest.
India and the US had in February announced the finalisation of the framework for the first phase of their bilateral trade agreement. However, changes in the US tariff regime have led to further negotiations.
Goyal had on September 24 said the trade pact was “done and dusted” and would be executed once the US provided India the right competitive advantage over its rivals in the American market.
India's key competitors in the US market include ASEAN countries, China and Bangladesh.
(With inputs from PTI)