Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 18 (ANI): India-US trade talks are moving in a positive direction, and a comprehensive agreement could be beneficial for businesses and trade in both countries, Anup Acharya, National President of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), said in an exclusive conversation with ANI.

Speaking on the sidelines of the IACC National Convention 2026, Acharya said both the Indian and US governments have been positive about the trade agreement from the beginning and that the negotiations have taken time because of the number of issues involved.

'The definitive thing is that it is going to be comprehensive. It took a bit of time because a lot of things have been taken up, and both the governments are positive from day one, and it's going to be very, very positive for the business trade from both ends,' Acharya said.

His comments come after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor earlier said that 99 per cent of the India-US trade deal was done and only 1 per cent was left.

Asked about Gor's assessment, Acharya said the talks were progressing in the right direction and pointed to the positive comments made by both the US Ambassador and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

'I think that both the diplomat, Ambassador Gor, and our Minister, Piyush Goyalji, have rightly mentioned that in a positive direction. As I said, it's not that easy to get everything, but when there's 99 per cent done, it is progressive,' he said.

Acharya said the final agreement would come after extensive negotiations between the two sides, with the focus on ensuring that the outcome works for businesses and trade in both countries.

'When the bilateral deal is concerned, we need to understand that it is going to be sealed after tremendous negotiations. We do those negotiations for the benefit of both the country's business and trade. We trust our leaders and both the leaders from the US side and the India side,' he said.

He also highlighted the broader relationship between the two countries and said the existing ties could support a mutually beneficial trade agreement.

'We need to understand that there is a good relationship that we are having between us. So definitely the deal will be a benefit for both the nations,' Acharya said.

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also delivered a special address at the IACC National Convention 2026, placing India-US trade, investment and economic cooperation at the centre of the business gathering.

Gor called for predictable taxation, stable regulatory frameworks, stronger intellectual property protections and trust-based engagement on export controls and technology flows to deepen commercial ties between the two countries.

He also highlighted the growth in India-US bilateral trade in goods and services, which has increased from around USD 20 billion to more than USD 240 billion over the past two decades.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also held a meeting with Gor on the sidelines of the convention.

Fadnavis said the discussions focused on potential areas of collaboration between India and the US, particularly in sectors where the US has strengths.

'We discussed potential areas for collaboration within our strategic alliance--specifically sectors where America excels, such as technology, education, universities, data centres, and semiconductors,' Fadnavis said.

He added that the discussions covered ways to channel investments in these areas into India and specifically Maharashtra. (ANI)