New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) India and the United States have decided to continue their engagement with a view to achieving the early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Trade Agreement, the government said on Friday.

A delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited the US from September 22-24.

The minister had meetings with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and US Ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor.

“Apart from meetings with the US Government representatives on bilateral trade matters, the delegation held discussions with key US-based businesses and investors on promoting trade and investment between India and the United States,” the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a statement.

The delegation had constructive meetings with the Donald Trump government on various aspects of the deal.

Both sides exchanged views on possible contours of the deal, and it was decided to continue the engagements with a view to achieving an early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Trade Agreement.

“The meetings with businesses and investors evoked a positive response. The business leaders reposed confidence in the India growth story and expressed their desire to intensify their business activities in India,” the official statement noted.

In the US, Goyal also attended a high-level session on energy security in New York, where he called for expanding India-US energy trade.

He spoke about the “scope to expand India-US energy trade” and collaboration on nuclear power as an affordable clean energy option, besides promoting start-ups in renewables. The minister also called for global cooperation to ensure a secure and sustainable energy future and highlighted “India’s integrated national grid ensuring resilience and uninterrupted supply”.

Goyal also reaffirmed PM Modi’s vision of “One Sun, One World, One Grid”, India’s leadership in solar energy, the International Solar Alliance, and the “country’s renewable energy achievements, underscoring India’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable and affordable growth”.

Earlier, he met US Trade Representative Greer in New York to negotiate the first tranche of a trade agreement. The meeting focused on addressing key sticking points, and both sides remain hopeful of reaching an interim understanding soon.

–IANS

na/vd