India-US 'pretty close' to finalizing trade deal: Trump
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has said that the US and India are "pretty close" to finalizing a trade deal after over a year of negotiations between the two countries. "They want to make a deal. We're going to make a deal. Pretty close, yeah," Trump told reporters at the Oval Office on Tuesday.
New approach
Deal will be 'much different' than we've done: Trump
Trump added that this deal would be "a much different kind of deal than we've done."
"It's going to be a much different kind of deal than we've done," he said but did not provide any further details on the proposed agreement.
The announcement comes as New Delhi and Washington continue to work through outstanding issues in the negotiations.
Diplomatic discussions
Rubio says few issues remain in finalizing agreement
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is currently visiting India and has also confirmed that the agreement is close to being finalized.
He said only a few issues remain to be resolved, adding, "I would say we're about as close as you can be without having an executed agreement. I think there's a small number of items left to wrap up."
Rubio expressed hope that these remaining issues would be settled soon, paving the way for an announcement.
Ongoing negotiations
Weeks away from deal: Rubio
In an exclusive interview with The Indian Express, Rubio said that 99% of the work on the deal is done.
"I think we're incredibly close. The way I would say it is, we are weeks, not months, away from, I think, finalizing it. I think 99% of the work is done. The remaining factor, you have to have 100% done. But I feel very positive of the trajectory that it's on," he said.
Positive outlook
Tariffs not meant to 'punish India'
Rubio also sought to clarify that recent visa restrictions are "not targeted" at the country and tariffs imposed by the US are not meant to punish India.
He said, "None of these tariffs are done to punish or to harm India."
"They're part of a broader foreign policy that unfortunately involves a war going on between Russia and Ukraine that we'd like to see come to an end."