On March 13, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor described India as a “difficult negotiator” in trade talks and said he expected Delhi and other partners to honor agreements made with Washington.
Gor also said that the only two dealers who had struck an Indo-US trade deal were President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who he said shared a ‘deep and personal’ friendship.
“India is a tough negotiator,” Gor said during a discussion at the India Today conclave.
Gor said the relationship between Washington and New Delhi could reach “historic heights” as he highlighted recent breakthroughs, such as the US-India interim trade deal, to boost the partnership.
“We’re seeing something different. Instead of a breakdown, we’re seeing breakthroughs. We’ve already seen a remarkable series of breakthroughs that demonstrate the strength and dynamism 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.
Gore emphasized that the United States expects countries that enter into agreements with Washington to abide by the terms of those agreements.
“Expect the countries with which we have made agreements to respect those agreements,” he said, adding that the trade agreement between the two countries was concluded relatively quickly compared to 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 one reflects where the US-India partnership is headed,” he said.
Gor said the only two dealers who have done business between India and the US are President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “One of the reasons it worked is because of their deep and personal friendship,” Gor said.
“Finalizing Critical Minerals Agreements”
On 7 February, India and the United States announced that they had reached a framework for an Interim Agreement on Mutually Beneficial Trade (Interim Agreement).
We see something else. Instead of collapse, we see breakthroughs.
The framework reaffirmed the countries’ commitment to broader negotiations on a US-India bilateral trade agreement (BTA), which will include additional commitments on market access and support for more resilient supply chains.
Gor said Washington and New Delhi are very close to finalizing critical mineral deals within months. “I’m pleased to say that we are very close to finalizing agreements on critical minerals to help secure the supply chains needed for advanced manufacturing, energy systems and emerging technologies. Stay tuned for big announcements in the next few months.”
