Donald Trump says US ‘pretty close’ to signing trade deal with India

In a moment rich with symbolism and statesmanship, US President Donald Trump on Monday, 10 November, declared that Washington and New Delhi are “very close” to sealing a landmark trade agreement — one he described as “fair, balanced, and good for everybody.”

Speaking from the Oval Office during the swearing-in ceremony of Sergio Gor, the next US ambassador to India, President Trump painted an expansive vision of a deepening Indo–US partnership rooted in trust, shared values, and strategic ambition.

“We are making a deal with India — a much different deal than we had in the past. We’re getting a fair trade deal. We’re getting close… I think we’re pretty close to doing a deal that’s good for everybody,” Trump said, his tone carrying both confidence and warmth.

The ceremony, steeped in diplomatic gravitas, was attended by vice-president J.D. Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio, and treasury secretary Scott Bessent, among other senior members of the administration.

Trump’s remarks were laced with effusive praise for both India and its leadership. He called India “an amazing country” and one of America’s “most important international relationships.”

“I’m trusting Sergio to help strengthen one of our country’s most important international relationships — the strategic partnership with the Republic of India,” Trump noted.“India is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, the largest democracy on the planet, and a vital force in the Indo-Pacific. We have a fantastic relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and Sergio will only deepen that bond.”

The president hailed India’s fast-growing middle class and its role as a key economic and security partner in the Indo-Pacific region — a partnership he said would define the 21st century’s balance of prosperity and peace.

Vice-president J.D. Vance echoed the sentiment, describing his affection for India in personal tones.

“You’re going to be a great ambassador and a great representative to the country of India — which the President and I both love,” Vance said with a smile.

For Sergio Gor, the day marked both an honour and a new beginning. The 38-year-old diplomat — one of Trump’s closest aides and now the youngest US Ambassador to India — expressed gratitude and determination as he took his oath.

“I’ve been at your side for many years, Mr. President, and I will continue to be there. It’s an incredible honour, and I look forward to enhancing the relationship between our two nations,” Gor said, his voice steady with conviction.

Confirmed by the US Senate in October, Gor previously served as the Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, overseeing the vetting of over 4,000 appointments in the Trump administration. His appointment to New Delhi signals not only Trump’s trust in a longtime confidant but also the administration’s renewed focus on India as a strategic cornerstone in America’s global outlook.

As the ceremony concluded, the mood in the Oval Office was both celebratory and forward-looking — a reminder that even in a world of shifting alliances, the friendship between the United States and India continues to stand as one of the defining partnerships of the modern era.

With IANS inputs