Inside India-US trade deal: Sergio Gor hails Trump's ‘deep friendship’ with PM Modi; calls New Delhi ‘tough negotiator’
US envoy Sergio Gor praises India's negotiation skills during the India Today Conclave, highlighting the potential of the US-India partnership. One of the reasons the deal got done was because of the deep and personal friendship between Trump and Modi, he said.
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on 13 March described India as a ‘tough negotiator’ in trade discussions and said it expects New Delhi and other partners to honour agreements reached with Washington.
Gor also said that the only two dealmakers who got the India-US trade deal done were President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, according to him, share a ‘deep and personal’ friendship.
“India is a tough negotiator,” Gor said during the discussion at India Today Conclave.
Gor said the Washington-New Delhi relationship can reach ‘historic heights’ as he highlighted the recent breakthroughs, such as the US-India interim trade agreement, to elevate the partnership.
"We are seeing something different. Instead of breakdown, we are seeing breakthroughs. We have already seen a remarkable series of breakthroughs that demonstrate the strength and momentum of the US-India partnership," he said.
"The relationship has the potential to reach historic heights and deliver results on a scale we have never seen before," he added.
Gor stressed that the United States expects countries that enter into agreements with Washington to uphold the terms of those deals.
“Expect countries we have made deals with to honour those deals,” he said, adding that the trade agreement between the two countries had been concluded relatively quickly compared with some of India’s other negotiations.
“First, a breakthrough in trade. Second, a breakthrough in trust and technology and third, a breakthrough in strategic coordination. Each reflects where the US-India partnership is headed,” he said.
Gor said that the only two dealmakers who got the India-US trade done are President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "One of the reasons it got done is because of their deep and personal friendship," Gor said.
‘Finalising critical minerals agreements’
India and the United States had on 7 February announced that they had reached a framework for an Interim Agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade (Interim Agreement).
The framework reaffirmed the countries' commitment to the broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations, which will include additional market access commitments and support more resilient supply chains.
Gor said Washington and New Delhi are very close to finalising critical minerals agreements in a few months. “I'm pleased to say that we are moving very close to finalising critical minerals agreements to help secure the supply chains needed for advanced manufacturing, energy systems and emerging technologies. Stay tuned, and in the next few months, we expect a big announcement.”
(With agency inputs)