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US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Monday sharply dismissed media reports claiming that New Delhi had knocked back an expedited trade agreement with Washington, labelling the coverage as "fake news" and reaffirming that both nations remain on track toward a final pact.
Taking to social media to directly counter a media report, Ambassador Gor emphasised the highly cooperative nature of the ongoing bilateral discussions. "Fake news alert! No one has rejected anything," Gor stated. "Both sides had very constructive meetings and reaffirmed their commitment to finalising a trade deal. We continue to stay actively engaged." https://x.com/usambindia/status/2076693535693439177?s=48 The American diplomat's strongly worded rebuttal came in response to an agency report citing unnamed officials and analysts. The report claimed that India had rejected a quick trade agreement during recent high-profile negotiations. According to the agency, New Delhi was opting to hold out for superior terms, allegedly driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's growing confidence "from new trading partners, eased economic risks and political gains at home." However, Gor's pushback underscores a mutual determination between Washington and New Delhi to push past media speculation and deliver a comprehensive trade deal, which officials from both sides have recently indicated is in its final evolutionary stages. Earlier in the day, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also dismissed reports of a deadlock in India-US trade talks, calling them completely false, baseless and misleading. In a post on social media platform X, Goyal rejected an international news agency's report, which had claimed that India was holding out for a better deal with the United States instead of pursuing an early agreement. "This news is completely false, baseless and misleading," Goyal said. The Commerce Minister said he had held "fantastic meetings" with US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer during the latter's visit to New Delhi in June, and reiterated that both countries remain committed to concluding a balanced and mutually beneficial trade agreement. "I had fantastic meetings with USTR Jamieson Greer, when he visited Delhi in June. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to an agreement that is balanced, commercially meaningful, and delivers tangible benefits for businesses, farmers, workers, and consumers in both countries," Goyal said. "Our teams remain fully engaged in achieving this objective," he added. His statement came after Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal also said there are no hurdles in concluding the agreement. Briefing media persons on trade data for June 2026, Agarwal said, "We dont see any challenge on India-US trade deal negotiations. (ANI)
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