US-India trade deal can be worked out ‘soon’: Trump administration official

A senior Trump administration official has said that a trade deal between India and the US can be worked out “soon”.

“Yeah, we were for sure very close. I’ve spoken to the ambassador...you know, we’ve had visits,” National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said in an interview with CNBC on Monday.

He was asked about the trade deal with India, and that Washington was “so close so many times” on finalising the deal.

India and the US have been negotiating the proposed bilateral trade agreement since March. So far, the two sides have held six rounds of negotiations.

Hassett pointed to the “complicated situation” of India’s “interaction” with Russia.

“I think that it’s a complicated situation because the interaction between what India does with Russia and with what India does with us, and so I think we’re still quite hopeful. But it got pretty complicated because there are a lot of different variables in the India-American relationship, but they’re good friends and we’re hoping we can work it out soon,” Hassett said.

On Tuesday, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said, “You will hear a good news” on the proposed trade pact between India and the US once the deal is fair, equitable and balanced.

Speaking at an event in Delhi, Goyal said that India will also protect the interests of farmers and fishermen in the agreement.