Washington, DC [US], April 9 (ANI): The United States has confirmed it is preparing to host an Indian delegation in Washington later this month, signaling a fresh push in bilateral commercial ties as both nations work towards finalising a proposed trade pact.

The announcement followed a high-level discussion between Ambassador Sergio Gor and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Reporting on the encounter, Gor noted on the social media platform X that it was a 'highly productive meeting with @USTradeRep Ambassador Greer to discuss advancing @POTUS trade priorities in South and Central Asia.'

https://x.com/USAmbIndia/status/2042195863640936538?s=20

Emphasising the continuity of the negotiations, Gor added, 'The United States and India have previously agreed to a trade deal, and we look forward to welcoming an Indian delegation to Washington later this month.'

This diplomatic movement coincides with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's three-day official visit to the United States.

During his stay, the Foreign Secretary is engaging with top American officials to assess the state of bilateral relations, spanning trade, defence, and critical technology.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the primary objective of the trip is to strengthen strategic ties. 'The visit will provide an opportunity to review the full spectrum of India-US bilateral relations and advance ongoing cooperation across key areas,' the MEA stated.

Echoing this sentiment, India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, remarked that the Foreign Secretary's presence 'offers an opportunity to review with our US partners the full breadth of the India-US partnership'.

Ambassador Kwatra further noted that the visit serves 'to advance discussions across key pillars of our bilateral agenda, including trade, defence, technology, and exchange perspectives on regional and global developments'.

These discussions are taking place against a shifting geopolitical backdrop, coming just hours after the US and Iran reached a conditional 14-day ceasefire.

The agreement, which includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, is expected to have significant impacts on international shipping and energy markets.

On the economic front, the upcoming Washington talks follow recent interactions between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of the WTO ministerial meeting in Yaounde.

The two leaders explored the 'next steps in the India-US BTA negotiations' and discussed strategies to enhance economic synergy.

While both nations announced in February that they had 'finalised a framework for the first phase of the trade agreement', the document remains unsigned, making the upcoming delegation's visit a critical step towards a formal conclusion.

The MEA highlighted that the Foreign Secretary's visit is a continuation of the momentum established during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's trip to Washington in February, underscoring the consistent high-level engagement between the two strategic partners. (ANI)