India-US trade deal nears finish line, says Marco Rubio
What Happened
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is“very close” to finalising a trade deal with India, as the two countries work to conclude their bilateral trade agreement. His comments came ahead of talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai on October 20. India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has separately said the first tranche of the agreement has been finalised and is undergoing legal drafting, although the pact has not yet been operationalised.
Key Takeaways
Rubio also linked the trade negotiations to Washington’s decisions on national-security waivers relating to Russian energy, saying the US must balance sanctions with global energy supplies, prices and countries’ ability to secure alternative sources.