Not far apart on trade deal: Gor signals US turnaround

US President Donald Trump's nominee for ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, said that Washington and New Delhi were close to clinching a trade deal, and called the partnership "one of the most important relationships our nation has in the world," in a sign of growing momentum in bilateral ties after weeks of acrimonious rhetoric from US officials.

- Shashank Mattoo

Gor, during a lengthy hearing for his Senate confirmation on Thursday, in which he repeatedly described India as a “strategic partner” and “cornerstone of regional stability”, also told the foreign relations committee that Trump has invited an Indian delegation to Washington next week for talks that could finalise a deal within weeks.

“We're actively negotiating with the Indians right now. In fact, the President has invited their commerce and their trade minister to come visit us next week,” Gor testified. “We're not that far apart right now on a deal. In fact, they're negotiating down to the nitty gritty of a deal.”

The optimistic testimony marks strengthening of what has been a significant turnaround in India-US ties in recent days following weeks of turbulence that derailed trade talks scheduled in New Delhi on August 25.

In late August and early September, Trump administration officials called India an “oil money laundromat for the Kremlin” and demanded New Delhi choose between America and Russia-China alignment, especially after Modi attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Beijing with Russian president Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping.

Gor, currently serving as assistant to the president and director of Presidential Personnel, praised India as “the largest democracy at 1.4 billion” with whom America shares “a lot more common values” than with Russia or China.

He emphasised the unique personal relationship between Trump and Prime Minister Modi as the key factor enabling resolution of trade tensions that have seen 50% tariffs imposed on Indian exports to the US.

"Our president has a deep friendship with Prime Minister Modi, and that is something that is unique," he told senators.