US-India trade deal soon, H-1B curbs not India-specific: US envoy Sergio Gor

The proposed India-US trade agreement is moving towards completion and could be finalised in the coming weeks or months, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has said.

He also sought to ease concerns over H-1B visas, saying recent changes to America's immigration system are part of a broader policy review and are not specifically targeted at India.

In an interview with news agency IANS, Gor said only a handful of issues remain in the trade negotiations, with both sides now working on the final language of the agreement. He expressed confidence that the deal would benefit both countries.

Addressing concerns over H-1B visas and immigration, the ambassador said the Trump administration's review of visa policies applies to all countries and is aimed at strengthening border security and improving oversight of the US immigration system.

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Trade deal in final stages

Gor said he recently participated in meetings in New Delhi with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, describing the discussions as productive.

"There are a handful of issues that remain. A lot of it now is on the language that ultimately both sides will sign," he said.

The ambassador added that the negotiations have been progressing at a fast pace considering the scale of the agreement.

"We've been working on this deal for a year and a half. Compared to some international trade negotiations that have taken decades, we are on an incredible trajectory," he said.

Without revealing details of the proposed pact, Gor said both countries would be satisfied with the final outcome because it is based on common ground and mutual benefits.

H-1B review not targeted at India

Responding to questions about H-1B visas and concerns among Indian professionals, Gor said the US immigration review is global in nature.

"This is not targeted at India," he said, explaining that the administration decided to review every category of visas after taking office.

According to Gor, the policy is aimed at ensuring that the US has a better understanding of who is entering the country, following concerns over illegal immigration during previous administrations.

He acknowledged that India is significantly affected because of its large number of visa applicants, but stressed that people-to-people ties between the two countries would continue to remain strong.

"Our embassy in India is one of the busiest embassies in the world when it comes to visas," he said, adding that trade, business and educational exchanges between the two countries remain robust.

Strong India-US partnership

The ambassador described India-US ties as being in a "great place" and credited the close relationship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump for providing stability to the partnership.

He said the two leaders continue to enjoy a warm personal equation and that regular communication between them has helped move bilateral initiatives forward.

Gor also revealed that President Trump is keen to visit India following an invitation from PM Modi, though no dates have been finalised because of the US domestic political calendar (mid-term elections in November).

Highlighting the growing economic partnership, the ambassador pointed to major American investments in India by companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Micron. He also said the US Embassy in India helped facilitate more than $20 billion in new investments into the US over the past year.

Looking ahead, Gor said India and the US have "limitless potential" to deepen cooperation across sectors including technology, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, defence and energy.

He added that both countries continue to enjoy a high level of trust, which will help drive the relationship further in the coming years.