India-US trade deal talks: Both sides hold 'positive and constructive' negotiations, says MEA

India and the United States have held "positive and constructive" discussions on finalising a bilateral trade agreement, the government said on Friday, following a fresh round of negotiations between the two sides.A delegation from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) visited India from June 1 to 4 to advance talks on the proposed trade pact."The conversations have been positive and constructive. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to taking this interim trade and bilateral trade agreement forward," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing, referring to a statement issued by the commerce ministry, PTI quoted.The discussions are part of efforts to operationalise the framework for an interim trade agreement announced by India and the US in a joint statement released in February. The proposed pact is aimed at promoting reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade.According to the commerce ministry, the two sides held constructive and positive discussions across a broad range of issues, including trade in goods, non-tariff measures, customs and trade facilitation, economic security alignment and other areas of mutual interest.The US delegation was led by chief negotiator Brendan Lynch, while India's negotiating team was headed by Darpan Jain, additional secretary in the Department of Commerce.The latest round of talks comes amid signs that the two countries are moving closer to finalising the agreement. Last week, US Ambassador Sergio Gor said only one per cent of issues remain unresolved in the negotiations.