Trump Says U.S.-India Trade Deal Is "Very Close" After More Than a Year of Talks

President Donald Trump said Tuesday the United States and India are close to finalizing a trade agreement, telling reporters at the White House that "they want to make a deal, and we're going to make a deal. It's very close, yes." A deal would break a prolonged stalemate in negotiations between Washington and New Delhi. Trump said the agreement "could be a different kind of deal" without elaborating. U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said last week at an economic forum in New Delhi that "the major items are done" and the two sides are very near an agreement. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has also said he is encouraged by progress and that both sides are "moving toward a deal." Late Friday, Trump waived tariffs on buyers of Russian oil and gas that could have reached 100%, a move that would have hit Indian products and complicated the talks.