Trump says US ‘pretty close’ to signing trade deal with India

Washington: US President Donald Trump said he is very close to signing a trade agreement with India.

“We are making a deal with India, much different deal than we had in the past…We’re getting a fair deal, just a fair trade deal. We’re getting close…I think we’re pretty close to doing a deal that’s good for everybody,” Trump added.

Trump made the remarks during the swearing-in ceremony of Sergio Gor, the next US ambassador to India.

Trump also said that he has a “fantastic relationship with Prime Minister Modi” and termed India one of America’s most “important international relationships.”

“I’m trusting Sergio to help strengthen one of our country’s most important international relationships, and that’s the strategic partnership with the Republic of India. It’s a big deal. India is home to one of the world’s oldest civilisations, the largest country in the world…We have a fantastic relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and Sergio has only enhanced that, because he’s become already friendly with the Prime Minister,” Trump said.

Sergio Gor was sworn in by Vice President JD Vance, and senior members of the Trump administration, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, attended the ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House.

Trump also added that India is an “amazing country” which is also an “important economic and strategic security partner in the Indo-Pacific region.”

“So I know you are (Gor) going to have a great success over this very important relationship…It’s also the fastest-growing middle class, and it’s an important economic and strategic security partner in the Indo-Pacific region. It’s an amazing country,” he noted.

JD Vance also congratulated Gor and said he and President Trump “love” India.

“You’re going to be a great ambassador and a great representative to the country of India, which the President and I both love,” he added.

Gor thanked Trump for nominating him for the Ambassador’s position and vowed to enhance the India-US relationship.

“I’ve been at your side for many years, and I will continue to be there, and it’s just an incredible honour, and I look forward to enhancing the relationship between our two nations,” he emphasised.

Confirmed by a Senate vote in October, the 38-year-old Gor is the youngest US ambassador to India. He is one of the closest aides of Trump and was the Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, entrusted with vetting more than 4,000 posts in the new Trump administration.

IANS