India-US Trade Deal Nears Landing Point as US Secretary Marco Rubio Prepares for Delhi Visit

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has indicated that negotiations on the India-US trade deal are moving towards a landing point, with officials working to iron out remaining issues prior to final approval. The development follows remarks from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman noting talks had reached a plateau. Concurrently, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Delhi from October 17 to October 20 for strategic bilateral discussions, along with energy-focused engagements in Mumbai and Jamnagar. Additional considerations include trade competitiveness vis-a-vis other economies and potential timelines leading up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's anticipated visit to the United States in December.