Overview

• President Trump invited India’s commerce and trade ministers to Washington next week, with both sides aiming to close out negotiations within weeks.
• Ambassador‑designate Sergio Gor testified that talks are down to the "nitty‑gritty" details and that the two governments are "not that far apart."
• Gor linked tariff relief to India ending purchases of Russian crude, a condition Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also underscored publicly.
• U.S. duties on Indian exports remain at 50% after a late‑August escalation tied to New Delhi’s Russian oil imports.
• Gor framed India as a pivotal partner, vowed to pull New Delhi closer to Washington, push U.S. energy sales and "Mission 500," and now awaits a Senate confirmation vote.