13 - 07 - 2026

India, US reject claims of trade deal breakdown

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on Monday dismissed a Reuters report that New Delhi had rejected a quick trade deal with Washington, saying the two sides remained “actively engaged” and had held “very constructive meetings” on an agreement that has been months in the making.

“Fake news alert! No one has rejected anything. Both sides had very constructive meetings and reaffirmed their commitment to finalizing a trade deal. We continue to stay actively engaged. Reuters — you can do better!” Gor wrote on X.

His remarks came shortly after commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal also pushed back against the report, calling it “completely false, baseless and misleading.” He said he had “fantastic meetings” with US trade representative Jamieson Greer during a June visit to Delhi and reiterated that both sides were working toward an accord that is “balanced, commercially meaningful, and delivers tangible benefits for businesses, farmers, workers and consumers in both countries.”

Commerce secretary Rajesh Agrawal separately said the framework for the proposed India-US trade deal was ready and would be signed once the two governments agreed on timing and structure. He said the schedule would depend on shifting global trade conditions and India’s efforts to secure market access terms that remain competitive with those offered to other countries.

The denials follow a Reuters report citing officials and analysts that said India had rejected a quick agreement in favour of a better deal, reflecting the leverage it has gained from new trade partnerships, lower economic risk and domestic political considerations. The report had said that the two sides have held constructive talks on an interim trade deal, but that negotiations have repeatedly slowed amid tariff uncertainty, market-access disputes and broader geopolitical tensions.

The broader India-US trade conversation has remained active for months. Reuters reported in June that the two countries discussed pathways to an interim deal, while earlier reports this year said they were working through issues including market access, non-tariff measures and technical barriers to trade.